


Just Let Me Adore You

by lovelarry10



Series: The Millie Verse [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Confusion, Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Famous Harry Styles, First Kiss, Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, New Year's Eve, No Angst, Non-Famous Louis Tomlinson, One Shot, Single Parent Louis Tomlinson, Single Parents, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:54:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 26,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22129807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelarry10/pseuds/lovelarry10
Summary: When Louis’ daughter presents him with a Christmas gift far beyond the price range of a four year old, he jumps to the worst of conclusions.  He’s pleasantly surprised when he finds out how she isn’t as naughty as he thought she was, and who came to her rescue..
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Series: The Millie Verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612420
Comments: 164
Kudos: 1036





	Just Let Me Adore You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sunnyside_angel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunnyside_angel/gifts).



> This was from another prompt from my lovely friend Coco, and this fic happened in a matter of days! It was so much fun, and this will always remain my favourite trope to write. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Please do leave a comment and let me know your thoughts, I love to read them!
> 
> Title is from Harry Styles' song 'Adore You'.
> 
> xx
> 
> DISCLAIMER:  
> This is a work of fiction. All characters are of my own creation and in no way reflect the beliefs and actions of those in real life. Any sexual content is consensual and legal per the consent guidelines in the United Kingdom. Please ensure you read the tags before proceeding with this story - they are there to protect you and me. If you believe anything is in any way triggering for you, please do not continue reading. 
> 
> Reposting of this work is a violation of copyright and will be reported. I also do not permit any translations of my work.

“ _ Make my wish come true…. All I want for Christmas is… _ you, Daddy!”

Louis grinned over to his little girl who was still sat at their kitchen table, a festive colouring sheet in front of her, a scattering of coloured pens and pencils all around her. Her sparkly Christmas dress glittered in the lights of the kitchen as she danced away in her seat, the festive music pumping its way through their small but comfortable house.

“You’re all I want for Christmas too, my little munchkin,” he smiled, walking over and ruffling her hair. Now she was on holidays from school, Millie liked to leave her long, dark hair down as much as possible, but Louis had persuaded her to put in a Christmas hairband, keeping the strands out of her eyes a little. “You want a drink?”

Millie pondered her dad’s question for a moment before she shook her head, giving him a cheeky grin.

“No, fank you Daddy. You wanna do colourin’?”

“In a bit, poppet. I’ve just got a few things to get done before Auntie Lottie comes to take you shopping.”

“Yes!” she cried, fist pumping the air. If there was one thing in the world Millie loved, it was shopping with her Auntie Lottie. She always proclaimed it much more fun than shopping with Louis because she usually came home with a new hair clip, or a bag of pick ‘n’ mix that Louis usually refused to buy her. “Love shopping with Auntie Lot!”

“I know, love. I’m just going to grab some washing, alright? Be careful you don’t get your pens on the table, okay?”

She nodded and stuck her tongue out in concentration as Louis headed through the house towards the stairs, picking up a few stray toys along the way. He wasn’t too worried about it being super clean like a show home, but he liked clean enough that he wasn’t going to break his neck every time he walked through the place. With his arms full of Barbie dolls, an Action man, a basket of plastic food and a princess tiara, he headed upstairs, sighing at the sight of the overflowing linen bin in the corner of the hallway.

He dumped the toys on Millie’s bed, hoping he’d remember to put them away later on before he headed back out, sorting out Millie’s things from his own work clothes. It felt nice to know he had a couple of days off work now before he had to go back, and he shoved his own uniform back in, grabbing a few of Millie’s Christmas tops, tights and dresses, hurrying back down the stairs.

“You better get your shoes on, love, Lottie will be here soon,” Louis called, putting the clothes into the washing machine. “You going to come and push the button?”

His question was answered with the scrape of a chair pushing back from the table, and little footsteps hurried over, Millie hugging him around his tummy quickly before she took the measuring cup of powder from her dad.

“That’s it, pour it carefully into that bit,” Louis instructed, watching as Millie poured the powder inside the right compartment, a proud smile crossing her face as she did so. “Excellent, good girl. And then… push the go button!”

She did so, and her eyes lit up as the machine whirred into action, water pounding into the drawer, setting the wash in motion. It was the most mundane of things that made Millie smile, Louis realised, and he kissed the top of her head quickly, inhaling the scent of her strawberry L’Oreal kids shampoo.

“Love you, bean. Go and get your shoes on so you’re ready for Lottie.”

Millie frowned up at him for a moment, something crossing her features that Louis didn’t miss.

“Are you gonna be lonely?” she asked, bringing her thumb up to her mouth, as she always did when she was worried about something. “You can come with us, I don’t mind.”

“I’ll be fine, Mills. I’ve got lots of things to do around the house for Christmas, and I need to pop to Tesco and we both know how much you hate that…”

“YUCK! Tesco is sooooo boring,” she moaned, a big grin still on her face anyway. “Can I wear my sparkly converse?”

“Go for it,” Louis agreed, and she cheered, running off, her hair swaying behind her. He popped the plate and cup that Millie had been using for lunch in the sink, and put her colouring things back into her pencil case, leaving them on the table to finish later on when she got back from her shopping trip. 

“Daddy! Please do my laces!”

Louis nodded to himself and walked through to the hallway, where Millie was sat on the bottom step, her feet shoved in the shoes, but the white laces were sprawled across the step, waiting to be tied. They were both quiet as Louis made quick work of tying them in a double bow, knowing Millie would no doubt go flying on the pavement if he didn’t. She stood up after and Louis reached down her green velvet coat that his daughter had somehow persuaded him to buy for school a few weeks ago, and as she slipped her little arms into it, he admired how beautiful she was, and how lucky he was to have her in his life.

Just as Louis was fastening her zip, the doorbell rang and Millie practically squealed in excitement, wriggling away from Louis as quickly as she could, pushing onto her tiptoes to open the front door and diving into Lottie’s waiting arms. 

“Hey, big brother,” Lottie called, holding Millie up around her waist as she stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. “You’re keen, Millie, love!”

“Yeah! Wanna go shopping with you!” she called, twirling her fingers around Lottie’s blonde curls. “Daddy, why my hair not curly like Lottie’s?”

“Uh, maybe when you’re older it will be,” Louis floundered, not wanting Lottie to suggest bringing over her curling tongs to use on his daughter’s gorgeous hair. “Are you all set then?”

Millie nodded before she gasped, leaning to Lottie’s ear and whispering something not-too-quietly into it until Lottie nodded, letting her down on the floor. She ran upstairs, and Louis just rolled his eyes, knowing how long it usually took Millie to get ready to leave the house. It was why he packed her school bag every night before he went to bed, her packed lunch ready in the fridge. Organisation was the key, that was the main lesson he’d learnt from fatherhood.

“Oh, hang on-”

Louis turned on his heel and walked back into the living room. He reached out and grabbed his wallet from the bookshelf, sliding a twenty pound out of it and hurrying back to the hall, where Millie had by now rejoined her auntie, her unicorn backpack in place, not exactly matching her posh coat.

“Now, you need to look after this money, okay? It’s twenty pounds, that’s all you are allowed to spend on Daddy for Christmas.”

“Louis, I said I’d-”

Louis cut off Lottie with a glare, shaking his head slightly.

“Do you want Auntie Lottie to look after it?”

Millie nodded solemnly, and Louis handed over the money, wondering for a moment what on earth his daughter had shoved in her backpack this time. Millie flew into his arms and Louis just about caught his balance as he hugged his daughter tightly.

“Love you Daddy,” she said, kissing him quickly before she pulled away, giving him a beautiful smile. “I’m ready Auntie Lottie, can we go shoppin’?”

Lottie nodded and held out her hand, and Louis watched as Millie slipped hers inside, tugging Lottie towards the door. 

“Bye Daddy! See you later, have fun in Tesco!”

“Oh, will do,” Louis chuckled, watching on as Lottie lifted Millie into the car seat in the back of her own Mini, fixing her seatbelt before she slammed the door shut. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours, Lots. Look after her, alright? You know she gets a bit excited when she’s out and about…”

“She’ll be fine, will you chill? How many times have I taken her out, hmm?”

“Alright, alright. See you later, then.”

He waved at Millie who was waving back madly through the window, the biggest smile on her face. Lottie tooted the horn as she drove away, and Louis sighed, turning to go back into the house. He closed the front door behind him again and just leaned back against it. It was eerily quiet without his little girl dashing around the place, singing at the top of her lungs, leaving a trail of mess in her wake. With a deep breath, he pushed away from the door and headed inside, ready to go and wrap up the rest of Father Christmas’ presents and stow them away under his bed before his nosy daughter got back home, screeching about whatever thing she’d brought on her shopping trip. Louis was already counting down the minutes until she came home.

*****

Millie gasped loudly as she and Lottie walked into the shopping centre hand in hand, everything around them glittering and sparkling in the run up to Christmas. She stared wide-eyed at the huge white Christmas tree that was the centrepiece of the whole thing, and came to a stop, her heart racing in her chest at the sight of all things Christmas around her.

“Auntie Lottie, it’s so pretty! I wish Daddy could see!” she said, excitement evident in her voice. “Do you think it’s beautiful?”

“I do, Mills. Almost as good as the tree you and Daddy did at home, hmm? Stay there, I’ll take a picture.”

Lottie took a step back and chuckled to herself as Millie struck a pose, hands on her hips, a big smile on her face that was so much like Louis’ she couldn’t quite believe it at times. She snapped a few photos on her iPhone and sent one whizzing off to Louis before she made her way back over to the now over-excited little girl, still staring in wonder at the things around her.

“Right, do you have any thoughts about what you want to get Lou- I mean, Daddy, for Christmas?”

“Ummmmmmmm,” Millie started, dragging out her word as long as she could. They strolled hand in hand around the busy centre, avoiding people dashing by with huge bags, Lottie only just tugging Millie out of the way when one busy man in particular nearly side-swiped her niece aside with a large Toys R Us bag hanging from his hands, a harried expression on his face. “Well, maybe, like… I don’t know!”

“That’s alright, we can just wander around together and see if there’s anything that catches your eye, okay? I need to get a few things for Nanny, and something for Auntie Pheebs and Auntie Daisy as well.”

“Ooh, what you buying?”

Lottie and Millie continued to chat as they wandered around Boots together, gathering a few nail varnishes that Millie picked out for her aunties, choosing the prettiest, sparkliest ones that she could find, Lottie just letting her carry on. Millie was as polite as always as they went to pay, handing over Lottie’s Advantage card to the lady, taking the paper bag she was given with a grin and a cheerful sounding “Merry Christmas, Boots lady!”

“I been thinking,” Millie began again as they headed out into the main centre, looking at the pretty window displays as they went. “What ‘bout a fishing rod?”

“Daddy doesn’t fish, love,” Lottie replied, a little confused.

“But he was watching this fishin’ show on the telly box the other day…”

“Let’s see if we can think of anything else,” Lottie said, trying to distract her niece from her random suggestions of gifts for her father. “What about-“

“A microwave! Our one is old and a bit dirty…”

“Hmm, most people don’t like getting things for the kitchen for Christmas, Mills.”

“Hmmm. Oh! I knowed!” She started jumping up and down on the spot, a sure fire sign she was excited about something. “New pants! Daddy comes out of the shower the other day and his pants got a hole in them by his bumbum!”

Lottie bit back a laugh at that confession and shook her head gently, determined that she wasn’t going to buy pants for her brother for Christmas.

“Maybe… let’s go and look in here, see if there’s anything nice for Daddy.”

Millie just nodded and skipped along next to Lottie, her nearly empty backpack bobbing up and down with each of her steps. It was a department store, full to bursting of last minute Christmas shoppers, and Lottie held on a little tighter to Millie’s hand, not wanting her to be swept away in the chaos of everything. They moved their way through the beauty department and headed for the escalators, but just as they stood near the bottom, Millie whimpered, looking up at Lottie with worried eyes.

“I don’t like the moving stairs,” she whispered, shaking her head as she spoke. “Daddy carries me on because I’m scared I’m gonna get sucked in and go down the hole.”

“Oh sweetie, don’t worry. I’ll carry you on, but it’s safe, I promise.”

Millie held up her arms and Lottie scooped her up, Millie’s legs going around her waist as she stepped onto the escalator. Millie buried her face in Lottie’s neck as they started heading up to the menswear level, Millie only looking up when she felt they were back on solid ground.

“Fanks, Auntie Lottie,” she said, already marching off towards a stand of colourful socks that had caught her eye. “Oooh, I like these!”

“You could definitely get some of those for Daddy… these ones say World’s Best Daddy, do you like these?”

“YES! And they don’t tell no lies ‘cause Daddy is the best daddy in the world! S’why he deserves so many nice things, he’s just the bestest.”

Lottie helped Millie pick up the right size socks and they walked off together, Millie clutching the socks like some sort of treasure. Christmas music played in the background of the shop as they looked at various things, Lottie picking up a smart navy shirt for her dad as Millie ran round and round the stand until she felt a bit sick and had to sit down for a moment. It was when Lottie was a little distracted by a display of rather fancy cufflinks that Millie took her chance.

She’d already spotted the shiny display case full of posh watches, but she hadn’t had time to get Lottie to take her over for a closer look. But Lottie was busy, so Millie figured it would be okay just to head over and have a look herself. The display was a little higher than she hoped, so she dragged over one of the smart looking stools that were like the ones at Daddy’s friend Zayn’s house in his kitchen, scrambling onto it and then pushing up onto her knees so she could peer inside, her sweaty little palms pressed to the glass.

“May I help you?” came a voice, startling Millie slightly as she looked at all the fancy watches, knowing her Daddy would absolutely love to get one of those for Christmas.

“I want to buy one of these for my Daddy. I got pennies!”

“Oh, that sounds lovely. Do you know which one? And do you have a grown up with you?”

Millie looked up and nodded solemnly, knowing she was way too young to be out of the house on her own.

“My Auntie Lottie is looking at the man’s pants and things. I wanted to buy Daddy something. I like the white watch. Can I please see it?”

The lady behind the counter peered around as if she was looking for proof of Millie’s grown up, but she soon shrugged and nodded, using a key from a chain at her waist to unlock the cabinet. She rested the stand of watches in front of Millie whose eyes shone in excitement. They looked super nice, and she knew Daddy would love to find one under the tree.

“My Daddy’s the bestest, you know,” she mumbled, resisting the urge to reach out and touch the things. Daddy had told her lots of time you mustn’t touch things in shops if you weren’t buying them so you didn’t spoil them. Millie listened hard to him, and so sat on her hands for a moment. “He looks after me all by himself, and he takes super good care of me so I want him to have something nice for Christmas.”

“I see. Well, that’s nice of him.”

Millie nodded and looked up, gazing around. She saw a few big tellies mounted on the walls playing a pop song that she and her Daddy loved to listen to in the car, and she nodded her head to the beat as she didn’t know any words. The pretty man on the telly was singing away with a weird fish in his hands, and Millie giggled before she brought her attention back to the watches in front of her.

“I think Daddy would like that one,” she said, pointing at the watch she’d chosen. “Can I buy it?”

“It’s a lot of money, sweetheart-“

“No, don’t be worryin’! I got money in my fluffy purse, look!”

Millie wriggled her backpack down from her shoulders and smacked it down on the counter, the metal buckle making a rather loud clunk as it landed. She giggled and quickly unzipped it, pulling out the fluffy flamingo purse that Auntie Fizzy had brought her a few months ago for her fourth birthday. It was one of her favourite presents.

“See? Look, I got so many pennies, Daddy gives me them when I do good helping in the house…”

She reached inside with her small fingers, pulling out each of the coins. She didn’t really know what each of them meant but Daddy always used them in the machine in Tesco so they had to be enough. Her little tongue poked out the side of her mouth as she set them down in a line in a pattern, pretty funny shaped silver ones and the round brown ones. There were lots in there and Millie kept going until her purse was empty, looking up proudly.

“Told you I got money!”

“Unfortunately, that’s not going to be enough-“

“It’s okay,” came a deep voice, making Millie jump on her chair. The man’s hand shot out, steadying Millie on her stool before she could fall off. “I’ve got this.”

Millie looked up at him, a little surprised as the man handed over what looked like a card Daddy had in his wallet too, smiling at the lady behind the counter who looked a little surprised now too.

“You can put your pennies away, save them for something else special for your daddy,” the man said, smiling softly down at Millie.

“You’re the man on the telly, with the dancing fish!” she said, suddenly realising who he was. He laughed and nodded, helping Millie pick up each of her coins, putting them in her purse again. “Did you know I am buying this present for my daddy?”

“Well, he’s a very lucky man,” the other man smiled, pressing some numbers on a little box that the lady had brought over to the pair of them. Millie tried to see and the stool wobbled again. “Come here, let me sit you on here.” The man reached for her and sat her on the counter, Millie watching his every move as he pressed more buttons and handed the box back to the lady who worked at the shop.

“Lovely, thank you. Did you want me to help you put your present away?”

“Do you think it’ll fit in my bag?” Millie asked, and the man nodded. “What’s your name?”

“I’m-“

“And here’s your receipt,” the woman interrupted, handing over a black plastic bag with a piece of paper to the man who took it with a smile. “Would you… would you sign something for me?”

“Of course,” the man said, taking a pen from the lady whose face was a bit red now. Millie reached for the plastic bag the man had left on the counter and started shoving it in her bag, determined to get it to fit. Finally, it did and Millie pushed her purse inside as well, settling back down on her bottom, swinging her feet back and forth. “Is, uh, is your daddy here with you? I can’t see anyone.”

“Daddy’s at home doin’ the shopping,” Millie answered, looking around for Auntie Lottie, realising now that maybe she’d been gone a little too long. “But I’m with my Auntie Lottie. She’s good at looking after me too, we doing Christmas shopping for my daddy. He’s the bestest daddy, and I want to really make him smile at Christmas when he gets the presents under the tree. Daddy says Santa don’t come for the grown ups but he needs nice things too, like I get from Santa.”

“I think that’s very kind of you. He’ll definitely like your present this year, don’t worry-“

He was cut off by his phone ringing, and he looked down at the screen, sighing at whatever he saw there. He didn’t answer the call but he quickly pushed the phone into the pocket of his jeans, giving Millie a quick smile.

“I need to go, but… Merry Christmas, yeah? I really hope your daddy likes the present. Um, excuse me?” He called over to the shop assistant who turned, giving the pair her full attention. “Can you make sure she doesn’t wander off without her adult? Maybe you could call out for her?”

“I can do that, sir, no problem,” the woman said, nodding so hard Millie was a bit worried her head was going to fall off her neck.

“Thank you for helping me with my pennies,” Millie said, grinning up at the man. His hair looked really soft, and Millie had to remind herself about not touching things that didn’t belong to her, no matter how much she wanted to see if his hair was as soft as it looked. “Have a very nice Christmas with your mummy and daddy.”

“I will do. And you, with your daddy. Merry Christmas.”

“My name’s Millie. Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas, Millie,” the man said, giving her one last smile and squeezing her shoulder before he headed off, disappearing from sight after just a few seconds. Millie was putting her bag back onto her back when she heard a familiar voice calling her name, but it wasn’t a happy voice. She felt a bit sick, and when she saw Auntie Lottie’s panicked face, she started sniffing, sure she was going to be in big trouble now.

“Millie- oh my god, there you are!”

Lottie ran the last few steps over to her and scooped Millie into her arms, holding her so tightly Millie couldn’t move.

“Where on earth did you go? I turned around and you’d disappeared-“

“I’m sorry, I just was looking for something really nice for my Daddy and I found-“

“Millie, that’s not good enough! It’s so busy out here, anyone could have taken you away, and then what would we have done?!”

Millie sniffed as the tears began to fall, and Lottie sighed, holding her close again.

“Sorry, Auntie Lottie. I did get Daddy-“

“It’s alright, poppet,” she said, rubbing Millie’s back soothingly, interrupting her again. “I’ve found you now, that’s the main thing. Let’s not get too upset, okay? We’ve still got Christmas shopping for Daddy to do now.”

Millie kept quiet, thinking maybe now wasn’t the time to tell her about the watch stowed away in her bag, or the very nice man off the telly that helped her buy it with his pennies. She let Lottie set her down on the floor, and didn’t moan when her Auntie held her hand a little tighter than she usually would do.

“Auntie Lottie, guess what I wanted to ask Father Christmas for,” she started again as they walked out of the shop, Millie smiling proudly to herself at the thought of Daddy’s present tucked away in her backpack, weighing it down a little.

“What’s that, Mil?”

“I wanted a kitten,” she said, voice laced with excitement. “But Daddy says Father Christmas don’t bring nothing with a heartbeat.” She couldn’t stop the little pout on her face at that bit of news, and Lottie must have sensed her dismay as she stopped, pulling the little into a hug. “I really wanted one, Auntie Lottie.”

“I know, love. But Daddy’s right. Santa can’t bring things that are alive! He brings toys and books and puzzles, things like that. Imagine a poor kitten stuck on the sleigh all night, it wouldn’t be very nice, would it?”

“’Spose not,” she mumbled, knowing that although Lottie and Daddy might be right, it didn’t stop it being rubbish. “Can we get a Costa now?”

“How on earth do you know about Costa?! You’re four years old!” Lottie said, a little aghast at her niece’s request.

“Daddy takes me,” she shrugged. “And Uncle Zaynie. And Uncle Liam. But I don’t tell them they all take me, then I got lots of hot chocolates. And marshmallows! Can I have extra marshmallows ‘cause it’s Christmas?!”

“We’ll see about that, monkey,” Lottie chuckled, heading off for the next shop, Millie in tow. “Ooh, the Disney store! Shall we go in?”

Millie’s resulting shriek of “ELSA!” was all Lottie needed in confirmation.

**

_ Christmas Morning _

“Father Christmas gave me so much stuff!” Millie exclaimed, a look of utter joy on her face as she looked at the stack of presents by her side on the floor. She reached for a rather sparkly handbag that she’d fallen in love with the moment she unwrapped it, and started stuffing things inside, ramming as much as she could while Louis just watched on in amusement, yawning quietly.

“You happy then, love?”

“Super duper happy, Daddy!”

“Glad to hear it, princess,” he mumbled, settling back into the corner of the sofa. The lounge was an utter disaster. There was discarded wrapping paper, ribbon and bows absolutely everywhere but Louis couldn’t bring himself to care in that moment. Jay had always sat there with a black bag while the unwrapping had happened but Louis had been too keen to watch Millie’s every reaction that he hadn’t worried about the mess in the slightest. “Which is your favourite thing, then?”

“Ummmmmmm…” Millie looked around at her gifts for a moment, her hair absolutely wild and unbrushed. Louis had put it in a nice ponytail when he’d put her to bed the night before and he really couldn’t fathom what had happened between then and now. “I really love my head thing!”

“You mean the hairstyling head?” Louis asked, and Millie nodded, grinning up at her father. “You can practise doing lots of hairstyles on there instead of your poor aunties now. Anyway, up you pop, sweetheart.”

“Why?” Millie frowned, not wanting to abandon her new things, even for a moment. “Where we going?”

“Daddy’s got you a present, sweetheart,” he said, taking her hand and leading her out to where he’d got up just before Millie had woken, setting the present up on their small patio outside the house. “Ready?”

Millie was practically buzzing with excitement now, and Louis swept back the curtains covering the patio doors, revealing the present in all its glory, sat outside, in the thankfully dry Christmas morning weather.

“OH MY GOD! A BIKE! WITH A BASKET AND A BELL!”

Her face was plastered up against the glass of the door now, her breath making rings of steam appear on it, and Louis just felt full of pride that he’d picked a present he knew his daughter would love.

“Can we go out on it? Please please please please please-“

“After breakfast, I promise,” Louis vowed, knowing it was too early and too cold to contemplate going out just yet. “It’s only-“ he peered over to the small clock on the wall, sighing when he saw the time. “It’s quarter past five, love. Too early, and we can’t wake up the neighbours. But when we’re dressed and we’ve eaten something, I promise I’ll take you round the block, okay?”

“You’re the best Daddy ever!” Millie screeched as she launched herself at Louis, wrapping her arms tightly around her legs, her head resting on his thigh. He leaned down, holding her tightly, relishing the moment of closeness they had. “I love you so so much.”

“I love you too, princess,” he whispered back, sniffing back the tears he didn’t want to fall. “Shall we go and look at your-“

Millie gasped, pulling back from Louis, her eyes wide and mouth open, a look of surprise on her face.

“Your presents!”

“They’re under the tree, Mills, shall we go and-“

“Yes, right now!”

She ran off, leaving a bewildered Louis knelt by the back door, slowly getting to his feet. It was at times like this he felt a lot older than his twenty five years, and he stretched out his back, sloping quietly back into the lounge, kicking piles of wrapping paper out of his way as he went. He laughed as he saw a little bum covered only by pink Disney princess knickers sticking out from under the tree as Millie grabbed all of her daddy’s presents, leaving them in a relatively neat pile.

“Look how many you got, Daddy! You are soooooo lucky.”

“I really am,” Louis replied, smiling at his daughter. “Which one first, then?”

“My card! I made it at school and I hid it in my knicker drawer so you didn’t find it! Didn’t I do good?!”

Louis didn’t have the heart to tell her he’d spotted it on the last day of school when he went to put away some of her clean underwear, and instead nodded, looking surprised as he took in the glittery monstrosity, trying to work out what on earth it was meant to be.

“Tell me all about it then, love.”

Millie proceeded to talk Louis’ ear off for the next few minutes about how she’d created her masterpiece, a scene of her and Louis in Lapland meeting Santa (despite the fact they’d never been there), using every single pot of glitter that was available in her classroom. When she was done, she snatched it out of his hands and set it on the TV stand, a shower of glitter following in her wake but Louis didn’t have the heart to say anything, not when she was so happy and proud of her masterpiece.

“Now you can look at it all day.”

Louis nodded proudly and Millie trampled her way over, kicking screwed up wrapping paper out of her way as she came back, plopping down in front of Louis again.

“Presents! Daddy, you got to open your presents now! Me and Lottie choosed this one for you…”

She handed over a beautifully wrapped gift, and Louis smiled at the way Millie had written DADDY on the gift tag, covering every spare inch of it with hearts in every colour pen she owned. He carefully opened the gift slowly, teasing her as she wriggled in excitement, her hands clenched into fists on her lap. Finally, a beautiful navy blue jumper tumbled out, and Louis held it up, admiring it for a second before he turned to his daughter.

“I love it, Mills! Come here, munchkin, give your old dad a hug!”

Millie didn’t waste time in diving into his lap, her arms like a vice around his neck as she sloppily kissed his cheek.

“You like it? I said to Auntie Lottie it kinda looks like your eyes ‘cause they’re blue too like the jumper, and it’s soft so when I hug you, it feels nice on my face.”

Louis chuckled at her logic but nodded, knowing it was important to Millie that he like her gift.

“I love it, honestly. It’s lovely. I might even wear it for Christmas dinner, what do you think?”

“Yes! And I can wear my pretty blue dress and we can be matching again!”

“Sounds like a plan. Right, you play for a bit while I tidy up, okay?”

She nodded and Louis walked off the kitchen, opening the drawer where he kept the roll of black bags. As much as he tried to ignore the mess while Millie was mid-excitement, he just couldn’t bear it anymore and hurried back to the sitting room, collapsing quickly to his knees and ramming handfuls of rubbish into the bag, clean patches of carpet finally visible.

A squeal from upstairs stopped him for a moment until Millie fell silent again, and Louis’ attention went to the tidying up. He was just picking up the last pieces of wrapping paper from the floor when footsteps thundered down the stairs and Millie appeared in the doorway, a huge grin on her face, hiding something behind her back.

“What you got there, love?” Louis asked, his curiosity sparked by the way his daughter was practically bouncing on her toes now, she was so excited by whatever she had. “Tell me…”

“It’s a super duper big surprise present from me!” she giggled, running over and barely stopping in front of Louis, who was by now stood up, looking down at her with complete love in his eyes. “You gonna love it!”

She produced the present from behind her back, and Louis tried not to burst into laughter at the mess that was clearly Millie’s own attempt at wrapping a present. There was probably half a roll of sellotape around the whole thing, a row of colourful bows around the top, and part of the white box was visible where Millie hadn’t been able to get the edges of the paper to match. Even so, Louis loved it simply because Millie had done it by herself, and at only four years old, that was no mean feat. Louis was twenty five and still struggled with making presents look pretty, which was why he got his Mum or Lottie to do it most of the time.

“Go on, open it!”

Louis nodded and took Millie’s hand, guiding her over to the sofa before he started to work his finger into a gap where there was no tape, slowly revealing the package inside. Louis frowned as he revealed a logo, but just as he was about to say something, Millie’s eager little hands dove in, ripping off the last bits of paper, beaming at her Daddy.

“It’s one of those really nice watches! I see them on the telly, and then I saw it in the shop, and I wanted something really special because you’re the bestest Daddy and you need the nicest things and it was so pretty and shiny and I wanted to buy it with my pennies-”

“Millie.” 

Louis’ tone was enough to stop his over-excited daughter in her tracks, her smile fading slightly which broke Louis’ heart but still. Somehow his daughter had apparently purchased him an Apple watch with the £20 he’d given her the other day, which was completely illogical. He had to know what had really happened.

“You not like it?”

“I do, just… Millie, how did you buy this?”

Millie went quiet for a second but soon piped up again, bouncing where she was sat in excitement.

“At the shopping centre place with Auntie Lottie!”

“But I didn’t give Auntie Lottie enough money for this, Millie. Are you sure you got it then?”

“Yeah! The place with all the shops in, with the pretty Christmas tree Auntie Lottie took a picture of me with. You know, Daddy!”

Louis sighed, rubbing his hands over his face for a moment, trying to make sense of everything.

“Love, I know where you went. But this… it’s an expensive present. I don’t understand how…”

“The lady helped me,” Millie mumbled, looking down at her lap now. “And the man.”

Louis’ blood ran cold at that, and he hooked a finger under Millie’s chin, forcing her to look up at him. Her story was changing by the minute, and Louis was struggling to work out what to believe.

“The man from the telly. He helped me buy it when the lady said I didn’t have ‘nuff pennies.”

“Millie, this is ridiculous-”

“No, but he was a nice man! I nearly felled off the chair and he saved me, and-”

“Millie Tomlinson. You know I don’t like it when people don’t tell the truth, don’t you?” He paused, waiting for her to nod, and when she did, he carried on, keeping his voice low so she knew he was serious. “Did you take the watch from the shop?”

“No! I telled you, Daddy, you not listenin’ to me. The man from the telly paid for it when I counted out my pennies-”

“Millie, people don’t just buy four hundred pound watches for strangers, let alone a little girl. I want the truth right now.”

“It is the truth, Daddy.” Her bottom lip was wobbling now, her excitement completely vanished. Louis felt bad but at the same time, he couldn’t take a gift that Millie had clearly stolen from a shop. He felt a bit sick at the idea of having to return it and having to admit to his four year old being a thief but he knew that he had to do it, if only to teach Millie a lesson.

“I’d like you to go up to your room and think about what you’ve told me, Millie. And when I come upstairs later on, I want the truth. I don’t want to hear about some man from the telly, or any lies. Just the truth.”

“But Daddy-”

“Off you go, please. Stay up there and think about what just happened.”

Millie sobbed as she ran off, and Louis resisted the urge to run off after her, knowing giving her a cuddle wouldn’t help either of them. He felt embarrassed that his daughter could do such a thing, and while he knew there would have been no malice in her actions, it wasn’t something he could tolerate. He picked up the carrier bag of rubbish and knotted the top, carrying it into the kitchen and leaving it by the back door to take out later.

After that, he spent a bit of time tidying Millie’s collection of new toys into a reasonably neat pile in the corner of the room. He didn’t want them out of the way as he knew she’d spend the next few weeks playing with them, but he couldn’t be doing with toys scattered all over the floor. He flicked on TV and idly watched Carols at King’s for a while before he sighed, knowing having Millie stuck upstairs on Christmas morning was upsetting him more than he’d admit.

As he got up to head upstairs after his little magpie, Louis snatched his phone from where he’d left it on the shelves, dialling his sister.

“Merry Christmas, Lou!” Lottie called down the phone, Christmas music playing in the background of the call. “You alright, big bro?”

“I was, until Millie produced her present,” Louis started, sighing. “How did she get it?”

“Get what? The jumper? We both chose it, Millie kept banging on about how it was blue, like your eyes…”

“Not that. I love the jumper. The watch, Lottie.”

“The what?”

“Watch. The apple watch that Millie quite clearly took from the shop?”

There was silence for a moment, and Louis went so far as to pull the phone away from his ear, checking they were still connected before he said anything else.

“Lottie?”

“I really have no idea what you’re talking about, Louis,” Lottie said, and Louis could hear the confusion in her tone, to which he rolled his eyes. How Lottie had let this happen was beyond him. “We bought you a jumper. Not a watch.”

“Then why do I have a brand new Apple watch sat on my coffee table then?”

“I don’t know, Louis, you tell- what? Yeah, alright Mum, I’m coming. Lou, Mum needs help with the turkey, and Ernest is having a shit fit over something. We’ll talk about this when you get here… I’M COMING! Bye Lou…”

The phone beeped indicating that Lottie had hung up, and Louis rolled his eyes, knowing he was no closer to an explanation than he had been earlier. He chucked it onto the other end of the sofa and headed upstairs, silence greeting him as he hovered outside Millie’s bedroom door. It had wooden letters spelling out her name fixed to the outside, painted in bright colours, and Louis knocked gently before he walked in. Millie was laid face down on her bed, her bear clutched against her side.

“Hey Mills,” Louis said, going over and perching on the edge of her mattress, reaching out and resting a hand on her back. “Turn over, love. I want to talk to you.”

She sniffed but did as Louis asked, looking up at him. It was obvious she’d been crying from her red eyes and puffy cheeks, and she used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears, cuddling her bear closer to her. 

“I didn’t lie.”

Louis just opened his arms and let Millie come closer, sitting herself in his lap as he held her tightly, kissing the top of her head. 

“Millie, you know we have to take it back tomorrow, right? We can’t take things unless we pay for them-”

“The man paid. He did, I watched him press the numbers on the thingy that you do in Tesco.”

“Love… it’s okay. We’ll take it back and explain to the people in the shop, then we can forget about it. Now, it’s Christmas morning and I don’t want to argue about this. We need to get dressed and get to Nanny’s. She probably needs some help with the veggies…”

“I can peel!” Millie said excitedly, a smile creeping slowly across her face. “I’m really good with the peeler. I can help, let me just get dressed…”

She hopped down from Louis’ lap and ran over to her wardrobe, pulling out the dress she’d mentioned earlier and throwing it onto the bed before she turned around again, rummaging around until she emerged with a pair of sparkly ballet pumps in her hands.

“This good? I feel pretty in these!”

“Perfect. You want a hand getting ready?”

Millie nodded and Louis watched as her pyjamas flew off her at a rate of knots and he helped her into clean underwear and her dress, her white tights proving a bit tricky but between them, they managed it. Finally, Louis grabbed her hairbrush and stood her in front of the little mirror on her dressing table Jay had bought her for her last birthday.

“Now, madame, what are we doing with your hair today?”

Millie giggled, loving when Louis played hairdressers with her like this.

“Fishtail plait, please, Mr Hairdresser!”

“Oh, for the love of God!”

******

“More pudding, Lou?”

“No! No way, I’m actually worried my stomach’s going to burst,” Louis groaned, rubbing his hands on his swollen belly. He was always careful not to over indulge when it came to food but Christmas dinner was always the exception. It didn’t help that everything Jay cooked for her family was utterly delicious, and Louis couldn’t help himself. Millie had eaten a good portion too, even gobbling up her sprouts much to Louis’ amazement. “Seriously though, Mum, that was bloody amazing!”

“Don’t say the bad words, Daddy,” Millie chided from where she was sat next to Lottie opposite him. “Good words, please.”

“Sorry, poppet. Go and clean your hands with Nanny, please.”

She nodded and hopped down from the table, finally leaving Louis alone with Lottie for the first proper time since they’d got there. The younger twins were already in the living room with the older twins, playing with their toys. They were too little to be sat at the table for too long, whereas Millie was used to it at school, so Louis had insisted she stay with them a little longer. Now, though, he was happy for her to go off and play.

“Pass me the-”

“Nope. Go and sit down. Lots and I will clear the table in a tick. I mean it, Mother, off you go.”

Jay sighed and rested the tea towel that had been flung over her shoulder onto the table, kissing the crown of Louis’ head as she walked off, chatting away with Millie as they disappeared.

“Okay, now you’re in front of me, you can’t bullshit me. Where did the watch come from?”

Lottie sighed and shook her head, glaring at her brother across the table. Louis couldn’t quite understand her annoyance about it given she was the one in the wrong. 

“Louis, I really think you’ve lost it. I didn’t get you a watch. Millie didn’t get you a- oh shit. How the fuck-”

“See?” Louis said, insistently wafting his phone and the photo of said Apple Watch in Lottie’s face, watching her face transform into one of shock and disbelief. “I asked Millie and she said some bloke helped her to buy it. But she was with you, so…”

Louis was watching Lottie closely enough that he saw the flicker of guilt in her eyes, and he folded his arms across his chest, waiting for the inevitable truth to come out.

“She  _ was _ with you, wasn’t she, Charlotte?”

Lottie gulped. Louis only full-named her when she was really in trouble, and despite the fact she was an adult herself, Louis knew she disliked it when he was angry with her and made it clear.

“Are you going to actually tell me the truth now, then?”

“I mean… it was a complete accident,” Lottie stuttered, her cheeks now flushed red, unable to meet Louis’ eyes. “We were in Paulson’s, and we were together, looking at the jumpers and stuff. Millie was being so good. I, uh, I turned around to look at something else, and before I knew it… she was gone.”

“Fucking hell, Lottie,” Louis muttered under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief. “I trusted you with my daughter! And you just… you let her wander off?! Anything could have happened!”

“I know, okay?! Don’t you think it’s been eating me up since it happened?! I literally turned away for two seconds, Louis, and she just disappeared. I promise I was with her the whole time, she just slipped away… I’m so sorry. You know I love that little girl to bits, and if anything had happened, I’d never forgive myself-”

Lottie stopped talking as tears filled her eyes, and Louis was flooded with guilt for not the first time today. He quickly got up and rounded the table, taking Millie’s seat and holding Lottie’s hand.

“It’s alright, Lots. I know how she is, she’s a little disappearing act when she wants to be. But it still doesn’t explain what the hell happened with this bloody watch.”

“Maybe Millie was telling the truth?” Lottie shrugged, dabbing at her eyes with an unused Christmas napkin from the table. “She could’ve seen someone while she was away from me?”

“Even if that did happen,” Louis began, disbelief in his tone, “Who pays for a kid to buy a four hundred quid watch?! They must have seen she was on her own, no matter what story she might have spun them…”

“I know. It’s weird,” Lottie admitted, shrugging her shoulders. “What are you going to do? Keep it?”

“No way! It’s going back tomorrow, and Millie’s going to apologise.”

“Okay, well, I guess it’s up to you…”

“It is, and I’ve made my decision. She needs to learn that what she did isn’t right. The jumper was plenty from her, and the card she made at school.”

He stopped talking as little footsteps ran up towards him, Millie and Doris hand in hand, grinning widely at him.

“And what are you two terrors up to then?”

“Doris got a new dolly from Father Christmas, can we go upstairs and play?”

“If you ask Ernest if he wants to join in, don’t leave him out,” Louis warned but Millie was already shaking her head.

“He’s asleep with Nanny.”

Louis nodded his permission and the two girls toddled off, Millie enjoying being the older child for a while and bossing Doris around to her heart’s content. Louis relaxed back in his chair, the uncomfortable feeling of being too full starting to thankfully abate slightly. He shut his eyes and tried to relax a little, wishing his mind would stop whirring and imagining the worst case scenario when it came to his daughter. He definitely needed to have a word with her about disappearing from her adult when she was out and about.

“I really am sorry, Louis,” Lottie said, her voice soft and hesitant, as if she was scared to say so. “I promise next time I take Millie out, if you let me, I’ll hold her hand the whole time and I won’t let go, no matter how much she moans.”

“Of course you can take her out, you bloody idiot,” Louis said, tugging Lottie into another quick kiss. “I’m just stressing about this bloody watch. It’s not going to be fun tomorrow to take it back and admit what Millie did. Honestly, Lottie, don’t have kids. It’s far too stressful.”

“Bullshit,” Lottie snapped back, laughing at Louis’ words. “You love your daughter more than life, Louis. You know you wouldn’t be without her, no matter what happened around her coming into our lives.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Louis chuckled, nodding his head in ascent. “I ‘spose we’d better start tidying up then… who’s washing-”

“NOT IT!”

“Dammit!” Louis yelled, groaning and dropping his forehead onto the table with a loud bonk making his sister laugh even more. “Why me?!”

_ The next day _

“I can’t do it right! Daddy, help me!”

Millie looked distressed as she stood next to the car, trying to fix her scarf and Louis just finished zipping up his own coat before he stepped over, crouching in front of Millie. It was a chilly day, and Millie had woken up in a bad mood for some reason. Breakfast hadn’t gone smoothly, with Louis dropping the bowl of pancake batter onto the floor, smashing his mixing bowl too, and then the car had struggled to start. Louis felt it didn’t set him up for the best day, especially given what he and Millie had to do that morning.

“Hold still and I’ll fix it,” Louis soothed, taking the end of the soft lilac scarf Phoebe and Daisy had gifted Millie yesterday. He wound it gently around her neck, tugging out her hair before he fiddled with the end, making it look perfect. “There you go, see? Nothing to worry about.”

“Thanks, Daddy,” she said, slipping her hand into Louis’. “Can we go to the pen shop? I want to buy some sparkly pens.”

“Maybe after we’ve sorted out the watch, love. Remember, today is about righting our wrongs, and being honest, okay?”

Millie pouted but nodded as she and Louis walked across the car park, stopping at the zebra crossings to look for cars, letting Millie give him the all clear before they walked across them, heading into the shopping centre. It was really busy, just as Louis had expected, and he decided something needed to be said. He pulled Millie over to the side, kneeling down in front of her, making sure she was listening.

“It’s busy here, Millie. You need to make sure you stay with me the whole time, okay? You hold my hand, and you don’t move from my side. Do you understand?”

“I do, Daddy,” she nodded, looking seriously into Louis’ eyes. 

“So what are you going to do?”

“Hold your hand, and not run away.”

“Good girl. Let’s go and get this watch sorted, okay?”

She nodded, and Louis headed off into the crowds, his eyes raking around as he carefully manoeuvered the pair of them in and out of the groups of people walking around, many of them not paying attention to their bags which swung a little too closely to Millie at times. Louis gripped her a little tighter and pulled her into his side, trying to protect her as much as he could.

Before he knew it, they were outside the shop where Louis knew Millie had taken the watch, and he glanced down to the bag in his free hand, sighing. As much as he didn’t want to do this, he knew he had to and that Millie had to learn her lesson. Just as he was about to walk in, Millie squealed and tugged hard on Louis’ hand.

“It’s him! The man from the telly!”

Louis looked around quickly, not seeing anyone.

“Millie, there’s no-one here-”

“There is! Come on, quick!”

As quick as a flash, Millie had slipped her hand out of Louis’ and was hurtling off in another direction, her patent pink boots stomping hard on the floor as she rushed off. Louis cursed under his breath and took off after her, not willing to lose her in the Boxing Day crowds but by the time he caught up, she was babbling away in an endless stream of words to the stranger in front of her, who was just looking on in bemusement.

“-so, so cross with me he made me go for a time out in my room! On Christmas day! I was super sad and I was crying and my pillow got all wet but in the end Daddy came back and we talked and he was okay. But he still thinks I stealed the present for him when I didn’t ‘cause you helped me buy it, so can you tell him Mister, tell him you buyed it from the lady so I don’t have to get in more trouble with Daddy?”

“I- yeah, okay.” The man sounded a little perplexed and was clearly struggling to keep up but Louis just tugged Millie back to his side, glaring down at her before he finally looked up at the other man, the owner of the very deep voice. Louis did a double take as he looked into a set of green eyes that were locked on his own. They belonged to someone Louis most definitely  _ did _ recognise.

“Holy shit…”

“Daddy, do you see?! It’s the man from the telly who gotted your watch!”

“Hiiiii,” the other man drawled, smiling down again at Millie who was tugging on the coat he was wearing. Louis quickly reached out, pulling Millie back towards him, trying to work out what the hell he was going to say to Harry Styles who had, apparently, bought him a very expensive Christmas present via Millie. “Sorry, she just ran up to me…”

“I know she did, I apologise,” Louis began, his voice coming out a little higher than it usually did thanks to his nerves. “Um, could we talk for a second?”

“Sure,” the man nodded, laughing softly when Millie grabbed his hand with the one that wasn’t in Louis’ and stomped off, heading for a little alcove where they could hopefully have a bit of peace and quiet, enough to talk properly anyway. 

“Right. my daughter here seems to think you bought an Apple Watch for me- for her, for Christmas the other day?”

“I did, I remember you, Millie. Did your Daddy like it?”

“Nope,” she said, pouting as she surprised the man with her answer. “He told me I stealed it and now we’re bringing it back to the shop ‘cause Daddy doesn’t believe me that you helped me with the pennies.”

“Oh, I see,” the other man said, his brow furrowing as he looked at Louis. “Well, I promise you she didn’t steal it.”

“But then- why? Why did you do that for her? I know who you are, Harry, and that you have money, but... who spends that kind of money on a stranger? On a  _ child? _ ” He emphasised his last statement by pointing down to his daughter, who was by now stood fiddling with the rings on Harry’s long fingers. “Millie, stop touching!”

“She’s fine, honestly. My nephew plays with my rings too, I think it’s because they’re all shiny, and kids are like magpies, right?”

Louis just shrugged, realisation hitting him that he was actually stood in the middle of the shopping centre talking to Harry Styles. He wouldn’t exactly call himself a huge fan of Harry and his music, but his tunes came on the radio enough that Louis knew who he was. He looked different to how Louis remembered him from the various times he’d caught him on talk shows, or when his music video popped up when Millie asked to put MTV on, softer somehow. He had a baggy cream jumper on, and a black scarf was hanging loosely around his neck, dangling down the check coat he had on.

“So Millie wasn’t lying? You really did buy it?”

“I did,” Harry confirmed, nodding his head, the long hair atop his head styled messily moving as he did so.

“But why? You didn’t know her, and that’s a shit tonne of-”

“Daddy, the bad words must stop! You told me to tell you off,” Millie said, her hands now on her hips as she glared up at Louis. Louis’ eyes found Harry’s, and he saw the man was trying to stifle a laugh at Millie’s indignation.

“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. But it is a lot of money to drop on something and for someone you don’t know…”

“I was just-” Harry started, blushing slightly now, nudging the ground with the toe of his black and white Vans. “I wanted to do something nice, I guess? I just saw your daughter sat at the counter, babbling away to the woman behind it about you and how great you are and how she wanted to spoil you. Then when she was told she didn’t have enough money, I- I just couldn’t stand by and let her be sad about it, not when I could help out.”

Louis was silent for a moment. He felt stunned that Harry would do something so selfless, but also by the fact that Millie had spoken so beautifully about him that it had prompted a stranger to want to do something kind for him. It was a lot, and Louis leaned back against the wall, gazing at the ceiling for a second, trying to collect his thoughts.

“You know I can’t keep this, don’t you?”

Harry looked surprised for a second, and Louis could see the catalogue of emotions on his face as he went from one emotion to the next; shock, disbelief, sadness, resignation. 

“But… I don’t understand why not? It was a gift… I wanted to do something nice, something I thought would make someone else smile. Can’t you accept it in the spirit with which it was intended?”

“I mean… I’ll be honest, I can’t afford to pay you back for this, Harry-”

“And I don’t want you to. That’s not the idea of a gift. And I’d really like it if you’d keep it. Please.”

Louis stood for a minute contemplating what to do. As he saw it, there was only one thing for it.

“I will, but only because I can see you’re going to be very upset if I don’t, and I can’t cope with another crying person right now. But-”

“I knew there’d be something,” Harry said, rolling his eyes but the smile on his lips said he was just joking around with Louis.

“I’d like to cook you dinner. At our house-”

“We could make pizza!” Millie chimed in, jumping excitedly at Louis’ side now, whirling one end of her scarf around in a circle, narrowly avoiding hitting Harry with it. “You know, with the cheese, and the ‘roni, and the sausage…”

“Maybe, Millie. Daddy’s talking to a grown up right now, so just wait quietly, alright, love?” Louis ruffled her hair as she nodded, watching as she reached out to touch Harry’s scarf, curious as ever. “So. Will you let us cook you dinner? It won’t be anything fancy. Millie’s pretty fussy but I can make enough of the basics…”

“I’d love that. And please, don’t go to any trouble. I’ll eat pretty much anything. That’s a really nice offer, thank you. Would you, uh, would you like my number? So you can text me later and tell me where I need to come?”

Louis reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone, unlocking it and handing it over. “Sure, that sounds like a good idea. About six? I don’t eat late because of Millie-”

Harry handed the phone back, and Louis smiled down at the contact name Harry had assigned himself; his own name, followed by an emoji of the Apple watch. He chuckled, shaking his head as he pushed it back into the pocket of his jeans. 

“Six is fine. I’ll bring dessert though. And don’t argue, I’d like to. What do you like for pudding, Millie?”

“Ummm…” Millie looked thoughtful for a moment until her eyes widened almost comically wide, taking a couple of hurried steps over to Harry, grabbing his hand in her own. “I love chocolate mousses, the ones from Tesco, and I like cheesecake with the red stuff on top, and yogurts! The corner ones with the little chocolate biscuits in the bit on the side-”

“Alright, Millie, I think Harry gets the point,” Louis cut in, shaking his head in slight embarrassment at how talkative his daughter was being. “You can pick. It’ll be fine, whatever you bring. And um… thank you. For the watch, I mean.”

“Honestly, you really are welcome. Enjoy it, okay? By the sounds of it, Millie was right and you do deserve something really special for being her Daddy.”

Louis had a horrible feeling that he was blushing, and he quickly dipped his gaze to his feet, sort of glad he’d made an effort with his outfit that morning before they went out. His skinny jeans were a fairly new and unstained pair, and he’d put on the new Vans his Mum and Dan had got him for Christmas, so he looked relatively smart. He also realised that amongst all the craziness of finding out Harry was real and that Millie hadn’t made him up that he hadn’t apologised to his daughter. He glanced to Harry before he knelt down, taking Millie’s hands as he looked at her.

“Millie… I need to say I’m sorry for not believing you. I didn’t listen when you told me about Harry helping you buy the watch, so I’m sorry for that, and for making you cry and go in time out yesterday.”

“S’okay, Daddy, I knowed why you was upset-”

“No, it’s not okay. But… you must remember what we talked about, yeah? Stranger danger, not talking to people you don’t know? I know Harry was a nice man, but not everyone is like that, love. Some strangers aren’t nice, and might want to take you away from Daddy. So you need to be safe, okay?”

“Your dad is right, Millie. He’s very clever, you should listen to him,” Harry said, and Louis looked up, grateful for him jumping in and backing him up. He was also a little surprised by the pink blush on Harry’s cheeks, and the fond smile on his face. Louis hugged Millie quickly, brushing her hair behind her ears before he stood up, straightening out his jacket. 

“Thank you. And… we’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll text you our address later on. Come on, little lady, we’ve got some Christmas money to spend.”

“Yay! The pen shop? Can we go there now, please Daddy?!”

“Alright, princess. Say bye to Harry first, okay?”

Millie surprised Harry by letting go of her dad’s hand and running at him, hugging him around the waist. But what surprised him even more was how Harry didn’t flinch at her easy affection. Instead, he bent over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, his eyes closing as he hugged her back gently, smiling to himself.

“Bye Millie. It was lovely to see you again.”

“Yes! And now you get to come to my house which is so cool, and I can show all the stuff Father Christmas bringed me!”

“Sounds perfect. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Louis and Millie both waved and started to head off into the crowds, ready to find Millie’s pen shop when-

“Hey!”

Louis whirled around again, the bag feeling like a dead weight hanging from his fingertips where the watch-  _ his _ watch, he reminded himself, laid in the bottom of the bag.

“Yeah?”

“Your name? I know Millie’s name, and you know my name, but… I’d like to know yours. Please?”

Louis smiled at how polite the man was, and he just nodded, stretching out his right hand, taking Harry’s.

“LOUIS! HIS NAME’S LOUIS WILLIAM TOMLINSON! AND HE WAS TWENTY FIVE ON CHRISTMAS EVE!” 

Harry laughed loudly at Millie’s screech which must have been heard by half of the shopping centre, and Louis covered her mouth with his hand for a second.

“Tell the world, Millie, blimey! I’ll see you tomorrow for dinner, Harry.”

“Looking forward to it, Louis.”

Louis tried not to show how much he liked the sound of his name falling from Harry’s lips and instead gave him a gentle smile, nodding at the other man before he finally started to walk away, Millie yelling back at Harry over her shoulder.

“Bye bye Harry! See you at my house tomorrow, I’m gonna make cakes for you! Bye, I will miss you, bye!”

“Alright Millie, I think he’s got the idea,” Louis chuckled, nodding to Harry as he finally turned and walked away, Millie’s hand tightly in his own. They managed a few metres before Louis had to turn around, but Harry had vanished, back into the crowds from where he came. Louis just chuckled to himself, unable to believe that had really happened. Popstar Harry Styles had really bought him an Apple watch for Christmas, and now he was coming over to Louis’ house for dinner. Shit. “Oh god…”

“What’s wrong Daddy? Is your belly hurtin’?”

“No love. I’m alright. I’ve just realised we’ve got a lot of cleaning to do before Harry comes round tomorrow.”

“That’s okay! I can pick up all my toys and you can do the hooverin’, and the dustin’, and I’ll choose some good songs for Harry to listen to when we eat dinner! Don’t worry, Daddy, we’re going to have so much fun!”

“If you say so, love. Oh, isn’t that the pen shop you wanted to go to?” Louis asked, pointing to Paperchase which had big sale posters hung in the windows, people bustling in and out, shopping bags held in their hands, chattering away with their loved ones. “Let’s go in, find your sparkly pens you wanted.”

“Yes! Best Daddy ever!” Millie cheered and jumped at Louis, hugging him tightly before she tugged him down for a quick kiss. “Love you so much, best Daddy.”

“Love you more, sweetheart,” Louis grinned back, heading into the shop with Millie by his side.

****

_ December 27th _

“My room’s clean!” Millie sang out, skipping barefoot back into the living room, where Louis was knelt next to the coffee table, sorting through a pile of too-old magazines. He knew that realistically Harry wasn’t going to care if he had four month old copies of AutoCar or last month’s issue of Millie’s CBeebies magazine, but he did. He wanted it to look like he had his home under control, that it was a haven for he and Millie, and that meant everything being tidy. Of course, Millie’s pile of Christmas presents was still sat by the tree, but Louis didn’t mind that so much. “I made my bed too!”

“Oh, good girl,” Louis said, looking up at where she was now laid out on the sofa, her head resting on the cushions Louis had just spent too long plumping. “Can you neaten up your pile of toys please? I don’t mind them being here, but I think they could be a little tidier.”

“Course, Daddy.” Millie hopped down from the sofa and ran over, starting to scoop everything up into her arms, arranging them painstakingly by size, her little tongue poking out in concentration. “How long ‘til Harry’s gonna come and play?”

Louis stood up, a teetering pile of magazines in his hands as he looked down at his daughter, watching her arrange her pile of things with care. 

“He’s coming for dinner, not to play. And about an hour and a half.”

“How’s long that? Like a school day?”

“Not that long, babe. Like… from when you get to school until snack time.”

“Oh, okay. That’s not long. When can we do the pizza?!”

Louis sighed, calling to Millie to hold on while he went out the back door, dumping the pile of magazines into the recycling box by his feet. When he was done, he leaned back against the brick wall of the house, breathing steadily as he stared up at the blue sky, watching clouds drift by. It was at times like these he really missed smoking, the way it relaxed him when he was stressed, and he felt his fingers twitch with missing the feel of a cigarette butt between his fingers. He cleared his throat and hurried back indoors, slamming the back door behind him.

He looked at the sink where the dishes from lunch were piled up, the saucepan in which he’d heated up Millie’s tomato soup sitting on the draining board, soaking so he could easily wash it off later on. He realised he should probably get on with that and flicked on the hot tap, letting it run and warm up as he reached into the cupboard under the sink to fish out his rubber gloves.

“Can I help?!” Millie called as she ran into the kitchen, her little pink toenails sparkling in the kitchen lights. “Daddy?”

“No, it’s fine, lovely. Do you want to finish that picture you started for Harry? I left it on the side with your pencil case.”

Millie cheered and proceeded to set out her colouring things on the table, swinging her legs as she finished her masterpiece, and Louis washed up, grateful that there were only two of them to clean up after. The house was silent apart from the clinking of the dishes in the sink, and the sound of Millie dropping a pen on the table when she was done. Louis quickly dried and put everything away in the cupboards, wiping down the surfaces and ensuring everything was spick and span before he draped the cloth over the tap, letting it dry.

“Can I see?”

Millie sat up and revealed her masterpiece, clearly a portrait of Harry if the brown curls and big hands with rings on were anything to go by. He smiled at the childlike drawing, but somehow, he already knew that Harry would love it and that it would probably end up pride of place on the front of his fridge. 

“You think Harry’s gonna like it?”

“I really do. Leave it there, and you can give it to him when he gets here. Do you want to go and get ready for him?”

“Yeah! Will you put my hair back in a ponytail on top of my head like Auntie Lottie wears?”

Louis agreed and listened to Millie chatter away as they headed upstairs together, only parting when Millie disappeared into her room to get ready. Louis heard her put a CD on her little player that he’d given her when he’d upgraded everything he owned to bluetooth speakers, singing along to some teeny bopper anthem he didn’t recognise, no doubt provided by Phoebe and Daisy at some point.

He walked into his own bedroom and sighed when he saw the mess he’d left his bed in after a pretty awful sleep the night before. He’d spent hours tossing and turning until he’d reluctantly got up, making himself a tea before he got back into bed, trying to read before he eventually fell asleep at something like half two, waking bleary-eyed at 7am when Millie had gotten into bed with him, cuddling up and mumbling excitedly about Harry. He tidied up a bit before he grabbed some clean clothes to wear, and bundled them up with a towel and some clean boxers, sticking his head into Millie’s room.

“Love, I’m just going to pop into the shower. You alright here for a bit? I’ll do your hair when I come out, okay?”

“‘Kay, Daddy! You like my skirt?”

She twirled around on the carpet, her frilly skirt spinning with her. Her legs were thankfully covered with some black leggings, and a knitted pink jumper was on her top half. It was a bit of a mismatch but Louis loved giving her freedom when it came to her clothing choices, and he had a feeling Harry would appreciate it.

“You look gorgeous. And… wow, the rings are certainly… they’re something!”

“Just like Harry!” she grinned, holding both hands up to show Louis. They were only play jewellery, most of them made of plastic with tacky gems inside, but she’d put one on pretty much every finger, her smile wide and proud as she showed them off. “You think Harry will like them?”

“Definitely.” He walked over and kissed Millie on the head before he headed out. “I’ll leave the bathroom door unlocked, okay? But shout out if you really need me.”

“Bye Daddy, have a nice wash!”

Half an hour later, Louis had wrangled Millie’s hair into a ponytail, fastening in her favourite velvety scrunchie before she proclaimed herself ready, running off downstairs to wait for Harry’s imminent arrival. Louis, on the other hand, wasn’t quite as ready. He’d chosen his favourite black skinnies and a blue shirt Lottie swore brought out his eyes, hoping he didn’t look too dressy. Not that it mattered, of course. It was just a dinner. A dinner with his daughter and a pop star. He headed back to the bathroom and fiddled with his hair, sighing in frustration when it just wouldn’t cooperate. 

“Fuck’s sakes…” he muttered as he grabbed a little more wax, trying to make his hair look somewhate presentable. “You shouldn’t bloody care what he thinks… he’s only coming to be nice. Probably felt obliged to say yes…”

After another five or so minutes of tweaking, Louis felt somewhat happy with his hair, and had convinced himself this dinner with Harry was most definitely a one off. He flicked off the lights, went back to his room to grab the Apple watch he’d spent last night setting up and fastened it to his wrist, the black rubber strap looking sleek with the rest of his outfit. He hurried downstairs, well aware that time was ticking away too quickly. 

“Oh Daddy, you look very pretty!”

“Thank you, darling,” Louis said. “You putting on some music?”

“Can we have the fishy song?”

“Adore You? You know that’s Harry song, don’t you?” Louis asked as he flicked through his Spotify app, selecting the song. It came on the bluetooth speaker sat on the windowsill, and Millie immediately started dancing, young enough not to have too many inhibitions just yet.

“You don’t have to say you love me, you don’t have say nuffin’, you don’t have to say you’re mineeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,” Millie sang tunelessly at the top of her lungs. Louis left her to it, grabbing the things he’d need to make the pizza bases from the cupboard. He set it all out and grabbed his apron from the back of the larder door, pulling it over his head. He didn’t usually wear it, but there was no way he was getting himself in a mess before Harry arrived. He could hear Millie still singing away in the living room, but it wasn’t long until she appeared at his side, ready to assist.

“Pop your apron on,” Louis instructed, and watched as she grabbed it from the drawer, waiting until Louis was free to tie the strings in a bow behind her back. “Good girl. Want to help me make the dough?”

Millie nodded and they stood together, Millie on her little stool as they created the dough, singing away to another of Harry’s songs that had come on. Louis grabbed the rolling pin when they’d made the second batch of dough, and held it up to his mouth like a microphone, much to Millie’s delight. He lifted her onto a clean section of the worktop and proceeded to perform for her, swinging his hips like he was on the O2 stage, entertaining thousands of screaming fans and not just his four year old daughter.

“Strawberries on a summer evenin’, Baby you’re end of June… I want your belly-” Louis reached in and tickled her belly at those lyrics, making her squeal and bat him away, laughter clear on her face, “and that summer feelin’, Getting washed away in you…”

They sang together as the song got to the chorus, and they only stopped when the doorbell rang. Louis cursed, realising he was now a little red faced from his rather exuberant dancing, and he handed Millie the rolling pin with a sigh.

“Your turn to sing, superstar,” he said, lifting her down so she wouldn’t fall off while he was out of the room. “I think Harry’s here!”

“The real Harry? The one who singed this song?!”

“Yes, love. Want to come and answer the door?”

Millie nodded and they both hurried to the hallway, aware that it had been a little longer than usual for them to actually answer the doorbell. Louis pulled it open and grinned at the man stood on his doorstep, a carrier bag in his hands. 

“Hi Harry, you’re here, you found our house!”

“I did,” Harry grinned as Millie rushed forwards, hugging his legs. “Hi Louis, nice to see you again.”

“And you. Come in, come in. Millie, love, let Harry inside…”

“Oops, sorry! What’s in the bag?”

“Millie Tomlinson! I’m so sorry for her manners, she’s just curious-”

“Louis, she’s fine. I remembered what you said about pudding and I… well, I brought a selection with me.” Harry smiled shyly as he kicked off his Vans, leaving them next to Millie’s. Louis led the way into the main house and he watched as Millie babbled away to Harry again, words flying uncensored at a mile a minute, Harry nodding along. “-if it’s okay with your dad?”

“Sorry, if what’s okay?” Louis said, tuning back in. He’d been admiring Harry’s rather casual outfit of a weird sheep emblazoned jumper, and some purple trousers which were unusual but suited Harry somehow. He looked cosy, and Louis liked that he hadn’t turned up in something that looked out of place in his little house. “Millie?”

“I want to show Harry my room and all my stuff,” the little girl, still holding Harry’s hand. “Then we can do the pizzas, but he needs to see my things, like now.”

“I mean, if Harry doesn’t mind,” Louis said, the track on Spotify changing over to one of Harry’s earlier songs. He blushed as Harry’s eyes met his knowingly, and he shrugged slightly.

“That was one of my favourites from the first album you know,” Harry said, watching Louis’ every action. “I haven’t heard it in a while.”

“Well, it’s a good song. I’ll start rolling out the dough if you-”

“Oh, you’re actually  _ making _ the pizza?!” Harry said, his eyes lighting up at the thought. “I love that! Let’s go upstairs, Millie, then we can help Daddy with the pizzas, ‘kay?”

“Yeah. But, oh my picture! Look, Harry, I made you somethin’!”

She hurried over to where Louis had moved the picture to somewhere it wouldn’t get ruined, and she grabbed it in a fist before hurtling back to Harry, almost crashing into him. He bent down to her height as he accepted the picture, looking stunned as he took it in.

“It’s you, see?! I ‘membered your curly wurly hair, and your rings, and I used my best felt tips to make it all pretty. Do you like it?”

“I love it,” Harry said, tugging Millie in for a quick hug, one arm around her tiny waist. “I’m going to pin it on my fridge when I get home so I see it all the time.”

Millie positively beamed at that and started talking again about her plastic rings as she and Harry hurried off to see her room. Louis smiled at how easy Harry was with her, entertaining her every notion, but he pushed aside how it made him feel when Harry had so easily referred to him as Daddy in front of her. Most people called him Louis, even his best friends, but he loved that Harry respected him enough to not use his name in front of his daughter. It was one of those small things that made Louis happy.

Louis took the balls of dough out of the bowls where they’d left them, and he floured the worktop so it wouldn’t stick, starting to roll out the first one. He reached into the cupboard and pulled out one of his pizza trays, check the size. He nodded, happy with his work and was just in the fridge getting out the pizza sauce, cheese and other toppings when a gentle hand on his hip made him jump, whacking his head on the fridge door.

“Ow!”

“Oh god, I’m so sorry-” Harry said, reaching out and rubbing the bump on Louis’ head. “I didn’t mean to scare you… Millie and I are here to help now.”

“Okay, cool. Well, I’ve rolled out the first one so you two can do the toppings, and I’ll make a start on the other one?”

“Sounds good. By the way…” Louis turned around, arms full of food as he waited for Harry to finish his sentence. “The apron looks good on you.”

Louis blushed deeply as he took a few steps away from Harry, setting the food items onto the worktop. He listened as Harry and Millie chatted together, Millie showing Harry where the utensils were that they’d need, and the sound of his daughter’s beautiful laughter filled the room as Harry did something silly with the teaspoons in his hands. It felt far too easy given this was the first real time they’d spent time with Harry, but Louis let himself enjoy it. It wasn’t often he and Millie had something as good as Harry happen to them.

“What do you think, Lou?”

“Lou?” Louis asked, arching an eyebrow as he turned back to Harry, seeing him chuckle and shrug at the slip of a nickname. “Only my friends call me that, Harold.”

“It’s a good job Millie and I have agreed that we're all friends then, isn’t it? And my name’s not Harold.”

“It is now,” Louis smirked, nodding happily to the pizza Harry and Millie had created. “Well that looks very… meaty.”

“I like the ‘roni,” Millie piped up, chomping on a piece of ham. “And the ham, and the cheese but not the mushys. Hazzy said he put them only on his bit ‘cause I said they’re YUCK!”

“They’re good for you, monkey,” Harry said, carefully sliding the finished pizza onto the tray in front of him. “Shall we help Daddy with his one? I’m getting a bit hungry. Do you want me to turn on the oven, Louis?”

“I got it,” Louis mumbled, stumbling across the kitchen and rotating the knob to turn the oven on. It whirred into action, and by the time he arrived back to where he’d been working the dough before, Millie was already coating the round base in pizza sauce, listening as Harry instructed her on how to spread it with the back of the spoon in her hand. “Bit of an expert, are you?”

“I, uh, I did a course in Italy, when I was on tour. I worked with some chefs, made some real Italian pizzas,” Harry muttered, and for some reason, it brought Louis back to reality. It reminded him who exactly Harry was, and that this could never be more than what it was right now. It made him feel inexplicably sad inside. “Got to say, these just might be better though. Millie’s got the knack I reckon.”

“I love cookin’! I do it with Nanny Jay when I live at her house, she lets me stir the beans and put the chips on the tray and all the cool stuff like stuff.”

Harry frowned, trying to understand Millie’s comment but Louis shook his head, hoping Harry understood that he’d explain more later on when Millie was a little quieter. They all talked as they finished off the second pizza, Millie dominating the conversation but both men happily letting her. She asked Harry about his Mummy and Daddy, and what he got for Christmas, and Harry answered each and every one of her questions without hesitation.

Louis and Harry were the ones to carry the pizzas over to the oven where Millie knew she wasn’t allowed, but she did help them both set the table, making sure Harry was sat opposite her, Louis at the head of the table where he usually sat. She grabbed a few Christmassy napkins from the drawer, and looked pleased as punch with her table dressing.

“May I have a fizzy drink with dinner as a treat?”

“Uh…” Louis didn’t usually let Millie drink fizzy drinks given her age, but his eyes fell on Harry, where he was now digging around in the bags he’d brought with him, watching him produce a rather nice looking bottle of wine. “I guess-”

“Actually, Millie,” Harry interrupted, lifting his hand out with something else. “My sister doesn’t like fizzy drinks much and she told me this was pretty nice?” 

Louis smiled as Harry revealed a couple of bottles of J20, a drink he only bought Millie when it was on special offer. She grinned at Harry and ran over, hugging Harry again before he handed her a bottle, watching with a smile as she ran over to Louis with it.

“Please may you open it, Daddy?”

“With dinner,” Louis said, and Millie blew both men kisses before she ran out of the room. Louis was suddenly very aware he was still wearing his apron and untied it, slipping it over his head and setting it down on the worktop. “You’re really good with her, you know. I appreciate you coming over. And when are you going to tell me what else is in that bag?”

Harry laughed and pulled it up onto the worktop, gesturing that Louis could have a rummage, which he did. He laughed loudly when he saw a packet of chocolate mousses, a selection pack of Muller Corners and a rather posh looking cheesecake in there. Harry had obviously heard everything Millie had said yesterday in the shopping centre and taken it on board. Louis wasn’t sure what he’d done to deserve someone like Harry coming into their lives.

“Oh my god. I can’t believe you did that.”

“Was it too much? You don’t have to-”

“Harry. It’s lovely. Really lovely, actually. I’m grateful that you thought of her.”

“Honestly, she’s a great kid, Louis.”

Before they could get any further into their conversation, the oven beeped. Harry reached and grabbed the oven gloves, taking charge of removing the pizzas while Louis stowed away the puddings into the fridge, knowing Millie would be surprised after dinner by those.

“Lou, do you have a pizza cutter?”

“Drawer by your right hip,” Louis called, walking off to find Millie, who was sat on the floor in the living room, her hairstyling head between her legs. She had her tongue stuck out, trying to weave it into a plait but clearly struggling. “Dinner’s ready, munchkin.”

She nodded, letting go of the half-done plait she’d managed, walking over to Louis and taking his hand. 

“Plaits are hard. Oooh the pizzas smell so nice!”

She climbed into her booster seat and sat quietly as Harry carried on slicing up the pizzas, popping a few slices onto some plates he’d found, which Louis then took to the table. He shook Millie’s drink and popped off the lid, inserting a straw into the bottle so she could feel a little more grown up. He then picked up Harry’s bottle of wine, reading the label before he reached for his corkscrew.

“You want a glass?”

“Please,” Harry smiled, brushing past Louis as he made his way to the table, sitting down and rolling up his sleeves. “This looks delicious. Thank you both for inviting me over again.”

Louis smiled and set Harry’s wine glass down in front of him, before he placed his own and finally sat down. “You’re welcome, Harry. Tuck in before it gets cold.”

They ate quietly for a few minutes before Harry started asking Millie about school, the little girl chattering away as she ate, making a mess around her mouth as usual. Louis kept quietly reminding her to use her napkin, pleased with how well the food had turned out. He knew it was basic, much less than Harry was probably used to, but he and Millie had made it with love and care, and that must count for something. Not that Louis truly cared, this was a one time only thing, of course.

When they were done, Harry forced Louis to stay in his seat as he and Millie collected up the used dishes and cutlery, putting them by the sink. They returned to the table and all sat sipping their drinks, and Millie was frowning at Harry, concentrating on something as she whispered something to herself.

“C-r-a-p. C-r-a-p. Crap! Your jumper with the sheep says crap, Harry! Why does it say crap?”

Louis’ eyes widened as his daughter blurted out the word, and he didn’t miss the look of horror on Harry’s face as he looked down at his own jumper, reading the phrase ‘My Life Is Crap’ printed in colourful letters.

“Daddy? What’s crap mean?”

“Millie, stop saying it-” Louis started to say, trying to hold back the smile threatening to cross his face as Millie just frowned, pointing at Harry again.

“But it says it on Harry’s sheepy jumper! Why’s it say it? Is it a bad word? Should I not say crap? What’s crap, Harry?”

Louis was laughing now, trying to cover up the fact he was laughing with the back of his hand but he was too aware he was failing miserably.

“Oh god, Millie, s-stop, darling-”

Louis dared to look at Harry whose cheeks were burning now, trying fruitlessly to hide what was plastered all over his jumper, something he’d clearly worn without thinking of the young girl who would be around him all night.

“Oh my god, Louis, I’m so sorry-”

“Why does it say crap? Tell me! What’s it mean?!” Millie asked insistently, clearly having no idea it wasn’t a word Louis wanted her to say. 

“It’s just- oh god, I can’t-” Louis said, wiping away the tears from under his eyes from where he was laughing now, and Harry was groaning, his head in his hands. It wasn’t the way Louis had thought their dinner would go, but it was certainly memorable.

“I like the sheep, Harry! It’s pretty. Maybe I could get one like it too. Me and Daddy saw some sheeps in the summer at the farm, they was all fluffy and cute!”

“That sounds fun, Millie-”

“Go and wash your hands, love, then we can have pudding,” Louis instructed, and he felt thankful that Millie just did as she was told, running off to the sink and dragging her stool over so she could reach the taps. 

“Louis, I’m so sorry, I didn’t think about my jumper, that she could probably read it…”

Louis snorted, shaking his head as a smile finally crossed his face. It wasn’t that he liked to hear colourful language coming out of Millie’s mouth but it had been such an honest and funny mistake he just couldn’t bring himself to be angry about it.

“Honestly, it’s all good. You didn’t mean to do it, and there’s a lot worse words she could hear than crap, I promise you.”

Harry was still quiet, and Louis frowned, getting up and sitting in the free chair next to Harry as Millie diligently dried her hands on the tea towel hanging from the oven handle, carefully putting it back when she was done. 

“Harry. Don’t let it ruin tonight, please? I’m not angry, not at all. And look, Millie’s probably starving for some pudding, aren’t you? Do you want to see what Harry brought for you?”

“Yes! Ooooh I love puddings, yummy yummy in my tummy!”

“Come on then, Millie, I’ll show you,” Harry said, holding out his hand which Millie took straight away. She practically squealed in excitement when Harry lifted her up onto his hip and showed her the choice of puddings she had, and Louis allowed her to have both a chocolate mousse and a bit of cheesecake. They all ate and laughed together, Millie still eagerly eyeing Harry’s jumper as she gobbled down her food, finally looking tired when she was done.

“Are you tired or-”

“No! Harry said we could play my new game after dinner,” she said, biting back a yawn which made Louis laugh gently. “Shall I help you wash up?”

“Definitely not.” Louis shook his head at her kind offer. “Go and play with Harry, I’ll just rinse these dishes and I’ll be there soon, okay? I mean, if that’s okay-”

“It’s more than okay, Louis. You sure I can’t help?” Harry asked, Millie now shuffling around the table to stand by Harry’s side, her little arm around his shoulders. 

“Nope. Go and entertain my daughter.”

Harry and Millie headed off together, and Louis could faintly hear his daughter instructing Harry on how to play her game of choice, probably the Shopping List game that Louis’ friend Niall had got her for Christmas. Louis was just kind of grateful he didn’t have to play it again if he was honest. He made quick work of the plates, leaving them to drain as he wiped down the kitchen table, stowing the mats and things away before he finally headed into the living room. What he saw warmed his heart.

Harry was lying on his stomach, socked feet in the air, rocking back and forth as he laughed like a drain at something Millie had said, his little girl similarly laid out on the floor, her hair though now pulled back into a bun on top of her head.

“Hi Daddy! You gonna play?”

“One game,” Louis promised, sitting on the carpet next to Harry, crossing his legs. He smiled down at the man next to him and watched as Millie finished up the current game, cheering as she beat Harry for apparently the second time. She set up the next one, handing Louis a board, and he hid it from Harry, gasping as the other man leaned over to see. “Oi, no cheating! I always win, don’t I, Mills?”

“No, you’re rubbish!” she called, making sure everything was set before she called to Harry, telling him he could go first. The game was a lot of fun, Louis sneaking a glance at the pieces at whatever opportunity he could get much to Millie’s frustration, making her march across to him, telling him off with some strict finger waggling, amusing Harry no end. Harry ended up winning, which Millie declared was better than “Daddy the big bad CHEATER” winning. “Can Harry read me my story tonight?”

Harry was obviously startled by Millie’s suggestion as he looked over to Louis, his eyes flitting nervously at him and then back down again to his lap.

“Uh, well-“

“Millie, go and get into your nightie, and one of us will come upstairs in a tick. Good girl.”

Millie nodded and skipped away while Harry started to pack up the game, making sure all of the pieces were put into their little bags, carefully putting on the lid and leaving it on the coffee table next to Louis’ smaller pile of magazines. 

“You don’t have to read to her, it’s alright,” Louis said softly, pushing up off the floor and sitting on the edge of the sofa. He didn’t want to make Harry feel uncomfortable at all, and he was trying to give him an out without being too obvious about it. “She’s just a bit over-friendly at times…”

“No, it’s not that,” Harry hurried to say, resting a hand on Louis’ knee for a second, stopping him from saying anything more. “I just… I don’t want to step on your toes or anything. Like, maybe that’s your thing with her…”

“No, Haz. Well, yes, because I’m her only parent, but you’re not treading on my toes or anything. She doesn’t usually want anyone but me to read with her, even my mum or my sister, but she clearly likes you, so go for it. If you want to, I mean.”

“I do. Want to, I mean. I’d love to. You think I can go up now?”

Louis nodded and he smiled to himself as Harry sprang to his feet, giving Louis a big, dopey smile before he disappeared. The house was quiet now, and Louis strained to hear what was going on upstairs, but it was to no avail. Instead, he got up and went back into the kitchen, picking up the half finished bottle of wine and two clean glasses, leaving them on the table as he dug around in the cupboard for a packet of biscuits, coming up trumps with a new pack of shortbread. He’d just set the things down in the living room when Harry appeared in the doorway, red cheeked but smiling at Louis.

“She’s ready for her goodnight kiss,” Harry said, and Louis nodded, slipping past him and taking the stairs two at a time. Millie’s door was wide open and Louis went inside, pleased to see she was already in her nightie and tucked under the covers, her stuffed monkey at her side as always. She gave Louis a tired looking smile as he came over, sitting on the edge of her bed. 

“Guess what?”

“What’s that, love?” Louis asked, a little surprised to see her hair now woven back neatly in a plait, compared to the ponytail Louis usually left her hair in for bed. “Did Harry do your hair?”

“Yeah, isn’t it cool?! He asked me when he came in how you do my hair, then I asked for a plait and he did it! He said it’ll make my hair all curly wurly for the morning. But Daddy, he read me my story too, and he did all these funny voices!”

“That’s so cool. I’ll have to get Harry to give me some lessons,” Louis commented, stroking up and down her bare arm. “You liked it?”

“I love that story but now it’s my top favourite. I really like Harry, Daddy. I think,” she said, a thoughtful expression on her face as she looked into his eyes. “I think he might be my new bestest friend. Not as bestest as you but nearly. I really liked him coming to play and have tea.”

Louis smiled at her sweet words, hugging her tightly as she sat up, her skinny arms going around his neck. “Me too, sweetheart. Now you be a good girl and go straight to sleep okay? Have lots of lovely dreams, and I think tomorrow, we’ll go to the park, maybe try out that new football Father Christmas got you?”

“Yes! I could wear my tracksuit! Do you think Harry could come?”

“Not tomorrow, love. Harry’s got his own family to be with.”

“Oh. Okay.” 

Louis hated how despondent she looked at that, but he didn’t want to make promises he couldn’t keep. He knew that tonight with Harry was a one night only thing, but even so, there was a tiny part of his heart that was hoping Harry would want to see them again. Louis was too scared to even entertain the possibility, and instead, he distracted himself with running Millie’s beautiful plait through his hands for a moment, loving the fact Harry had done something so caring for his little girl.

“Maybe I’ll ask Harry if we can catch up again sometime, when he’s free. We’ll see, love. Now, you be a good girl and go straight to sleep, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy,” Millie muttered before she yawned, snuggling down deeper under her duvet. “Love you so much Daddy.”

“Love you too, Millie, as much as all the world,” Louis whispered, leaning in to quickly kiss his daughter, making sure she was warm and cosy before he stood up. “Night, darling.”

He left the room bathed in the glow of her nightlight, left over from some bad nights when she was a three years old and woke up terrified of the dark. It helped her to sleep soundly now, so Louis didn’t mind at all. He went downstairs as quietly as he could, but he was shocked to see Harry stood there in his coat, hands shoved in his pockets, looking like he was leaving. Louis just stared at him for a moment, trying to push down the way he felt about Harry potentially leaving before he was ready to let him go.

“Where are you going?”

“Well, I thought that now- well, it’s probably time for me to go-” Harry stuttered, fiddling with the cuff of the sleeve of his coat as he tried not to look at Louis, his cheeks flushed.

“Why? You don’t have to go- I thought we could maybe have a glass of wine and a chat?”

Louis didn’t miss how Harry’s eyes lit up at that suggestion, and he bit his lip, nodding gently.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’d really love that, Louis. Are you sure?”

“Definitely. Been too long since I’ve had the company of someone over the age of four in the evenings.”

Harry chuckled at that, and Louis felt a feeling of relief settle in his belly when Harry started to shrug his coat back off, hanging it on the banister where it had been before. He snapped back to reality as Harry gave him an expectant look, and he just smiled, hurrying through to the sitting room and where he’d left the bottle of wine and glasses.

“Oh, you really were hoping I’d stay,” Harry said, and Louis nodded, taking a seat at one end of the sofa, Harry at the other. Louis leaned forward first and topped up one glass, handing it to Harry before he poured some for himself. He settled back against the cushion, curling his legs up under him, looking at Harry over the rim of his glass. He watched the bob of Harry’s Adam’s apple as he sipped on the wine, watched as his eyes roamed around the photos littering every surface in the room of Louis’ family, most of the pictures containing Millie. “You have a beautiful family.”

“Thank you,” Louis said, pride inflating in his chest at Harry’s kind words. “I’m pretty lucky with them all. They’ve been great, especially since I had Millie. Mum’s like… she’s been amazing, really. I couldn’t have done all of this without her, that’s for sure.”

There was silence for a moment as Harry let Louis’ words sink in, and somehow, Louis knew what was coming next. He didn’t mind, per se, but it just wasn’t something he put out there with new people until he trusted them. Harry, though, was different. Louis felt like he wanted to tell Harry all of his deepest, darkest secrets, and the thought spooked him a little. He didn’t know why he felt such an affinity for a man he’d known a matter of hours, but he did, and he hoped that wouldn’t change any time soon.

“Can I… can I ask about Millie’s other parent? Were you with her mum?”

Louis chuckled, shaking his head. It wasn’t, of course, a silly assumption to make, but Louis felt he’d been obvious enough tonight that maybe Harry might have realised he was gay. Clearly not. 

“No. I was never with her mother. Her other parent was my longterm boyfriend Spencer. We were together since we were young, I thought he was the one. I’d always wanted children, I’d grown up around my siblings so I knew I wanted my own family. Spencer seemed all for it, went with me to all the surrogacy appointments and stuff, was really happy when we found out we were having a girl.”

“That’s nice,” Harry said, sipping on his wine again. “But… obviously something happened…”

“Yeah,” Louis said, clearing his throat. He was well over what happened, being years ago, but it was sometimes difficult to talk about, and he could feel himself tensing up slightly. “Millie was born, and when we took her home, things were good for a few weeks. He struggled with getting up for feeds and stuff, but I took on the bulk of it, made sure his life didn’t change too much. But one day, I came home from work and his bags were packed. He told me he never really wanted this life, or our daughter. He left, and I’ve not heard a word from him since.”

“Oh my god, what a prick,” Harry blurted out, Louis laughing loudly at his outburst. “Sorry, that’s so rude of me, but- who does that?! Who walks out on their boyfriend and their baby? You didn’t deserve that, Louis.”

“I know I didn’t. But it happened, and I moved on. I had to, I had a baby to raise. It hurt but to be honest, I didn’t want Spence around if he didn’t want to be. He’s never made an effort to ask after her, and nor has his family. It's like we don’t exist. I know she’s my child, biologically, but to me, she was always ours, you know?”

“It’s his loss,” Harry said earnestly, shifting slightly so he was now facing Louis on the sofa, an unreadable look on his face. “Louis, I don’t- I want you to know you deserve so much better, both of you do. I know I’ve only spent tonight with you but I’m in awe of you. You’re amazing with Millie, and she’s such a fantastic little girl. The fact you’ve done all this on your own…”

“I’ve only done what millions of men and women have done for years, Haz,” Louis said, shaking his head slightly. Harry’s kind words were making him a little embarrassed, and he wasn’t used to hearing compliments so freely like this. “She’s my daughter, that’s all there is to it.”

“And you work?”

“Yes,” Louis nodded, proud of his job and his accomplishments. “I work as a hotel manager. I do night shifts four times a week because it pays well, and gives me enough money to give Millie the life I want for us. Millie stays with my Mum when I work, which is what she meant earlier when she said she lives there. If Mum’s busy, my best mates take Mills, but that’s not often.”

“God. You’re more amazing than I thought,” Harry said softly, awe obvious in his features. “Sorry, I’m gushing. I’ve just… I’ve not met anyone like you before, Louis. I understand why Millie was so adamant you have something nice for Christmas now.”

That was the opening Louis had been waiting for, and he decided to take it with both hands. 

“Can you tell me about what happened when you met her? Asking a four year old is pointless to be honest, all she kept talking about was your hair, and that you were the man from the telly. My sister doesn’t know since Millie slipped away so…”

“Sure. I love a bit of story time,” Harry said, shifting closer to Louis again. It wasn’t strictly necessary since Millie was more than likely asleep by now, and they didn’t have to be too quiet, but Harry’s lack of experience with the little girl meant he was more cautious than Louis would be. Louis didn’t mind their proximity, the way Harry’s knee was now nearly touching his own, how the rings on Harry’s long fingers glinted in the low lamp light of the room. “So I was at the shopping centre, last minute things for Christmas, you know?”

Louis just nodded, sipping on his wine, which was going down quicker than he’d anticipated. 

“I was waiting at the jewellery counter, getting my best friend something. I saw Millie chatting away to the lady behind the counter. I couldn’t help myself from listening in, and all she talked about was her wonderful Daddy, and how much she wanted to get you something really nice for Christmas.”

Louis felt a lump appear in his throat at that. He knew his daughter loved him, of course he did, but hearing it from someone who was still a relative stranger meant a lot. He loved that Millie talked about him whenever she wasn’t with him, and he felt it was testament to their close relationship that they loved each other as much as they did. He nodded, sure if he spoke, his voice would wobble, and he didn’t want that.

“She pointed out the Apple watch,” Harry started again, his eyes flitting to the watch which was now on Louis’ wrist. He was surprised with how much he enjoyed wearing it, and he knew he’d be forever grateful to Harry for such a kind gift. “She said it looked really cool, and wanted to buy it. The person who worked there tried to tell her it was a lot of money, but she didn’t seem bothered. She produced this fluffy purse from her bag-”

“Oh god,” Louis groaned, covering his face with his hands for a moment. He knew exactly which purse Harry meant, the fluffy thing Fizzy had brought her about a year ago, the one that she put in all the pennies and loose change Louis gave her for helping around the house. She hadn’t yet grasped the concept of money or the value of coins, but always felt she was rich when she took her money out and about with her. Realistically, she probably had around 45p in there if she was lucky.

“No… it was the cutest thing, Lou. She just unzipped this purse and was taking out these coins, laying them out in a line on the counter, all happy. She obviously didn’t have a clue how much she had, but just the thought she could buy you something was… it was everything to her. Her little tongue was poking out, and she just… she melted my heart. I guess I just thought… I’ve always wanted kids of my own someday, and I imagined if it were my daughter was doing that, and then when she was told she didn’t have enough-”

“Oh no, she didn’t have a tantrum, did she?”

“No! No, no, no. Definitely not. Quite the opposite, actually. Her little face fell, and I really thought she was going to cry. She looked so upset. That’s why I stepped in. I offered to buy it, and it was like I’d given her the world. It was so easy, and I didn’t even think twice about what would happen when you saw it.”

“I think that might be the sweetest story I’ve ever heard,” Louis said, his heart racing now at Harry moving even closer, reaching out for his arm. “What are you- oh.”

“Just wanted a look,” Harry shrugged, his hand still wrapped around Louis’ wrist just under the watch, his fingertips barely digging into Louis’ skin. However, Louis didn’t miss the way his skin popped up in goosebumps at the slightest touch, and as Harry moved his hand to hold Louis’, admiring the watch, Louis held his breath, hoping Harry couldn’t feel how sweaty his palms were. “It suits you, looks good. You like it?”

“I really do. I’d never have bought one myself, but...I think it’s great.”

Harry’s fingers lingered for a little longer than necessary until finally, Louis’ hand was back in his own lap. Their bodies were still closer than they needed to be, but it seemed neither of them minded. Talk quickly moved from Louis and Millie to Harry’s career, Harry excitedly chatting about the fact he had a whole month off for Christmas and the New Year, and how happy he was to be spending it with his family. The bottle of wine was drained, but it didn't seem to matter to either of them.

“We didn’t take you away from them too much today, did we?”

“I wanted to be here, Louis. It meant a lot to me that you and Millie asked me to come round for dinner.”

“Well, we’re glad you came over.”

Harry smiled fondly at Louis, but Louis froze as Harry’s hand came up, pushing Louis’ long fringe out of his eyes ever so gently. Louis let his eyes dip down to his lap, and Harry must have felt he’d overstepped because he stood up, placing his now empty glass on the table.

“I should… let you get to bed. It’s late, and I’m sure Millie doesn’t let you lay in.”

“Nope, never,” Louis laughed, standing up himself, wishing there was a reason he could give to make Harry stay. “I don’t mind, though. She’s a good kid. The best.”

“I think she’s wonderful, truly. A credit to you, Louis. Can I, um… never mind. I’ll just get my coat.”

Harry disappeared from sight before Louis had a chance to ask Harry what he was going to say, but he quickly followed him, watching him pull on his coat and scarf, shoving his feet into his boots. 

“Thank you for a great night. The pizzas were delicious, and please tell Millie I loved making them with her,” Harry said quietly, his hand hovering by the door catch now. “I had a lovely time.”

“Me too,” Louis practically whispered, his heart thudding in his chest. He was taken aback when suddenly Harry stepped away from the door and towards him, scooping Louis up into a tight hug. It wasn’t often Louis was hugged by people bigger than him these days, but he sank into it, letting his own arms wrap around Harry’s waist, grabbing the back of his coat in his fist. Harry smelt lovely, musky and manly and for some reason, Louis really didn’t want to let go. It seemed that neither did Harry as they stood there for a good minute or so, just holding each other.

“Fuck it,” Harry mumbled as he finally pulled himself away from Louis, looking down at him. “What I was going to say earlier… I was going to ask if you and Millie wanted to spend New Year’s Eve with me. If you don’t have plans, which you probably do, so don’t worry-”

“Harry, we don’t. Mum’s heading off with my sisters and brother to my step-Dad’s parents, so Mills and I were gonna have a quiet night in. We’d love to spend it with you.”

“Really?” Harry blushed at his question but shook it off, reaching for Louis’ hand but he withdrew it before he could make contact. “Wow, yeah, I’d love that. You could, you could come to mine? Let me entertain you guys this time.”

“Oh, I don’t know, Haz…”

“I have a spare room that Millie could sleep in if she gets tired. I’ll get some snacks and stuff… it’ll be great. I promise. Just… let me take care of you two this time?”

And how could Louis resist that? He nodded, a huge smile covering his face as he accepted Harry’s kind invitation. He rarely went round to see other people, finding it easier if they visited him and Millie, but the thought of seeing Harry’s home, being invited in… it clearly mattered to Harry so Louis was going to do it. The thought of seeing Harry again in just a few days was certainly the deciding factor.

“Yes. Yes, please. Text me if you want me to bring anything with me, okay? And your address, of course…”

“I will. Goodnight, Louis. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“See you soon,” Louis said, letting Harry kiss his cheek gently before he turned, finally opening the front door and stepping out in the night. He watched as Harry got into his car, starting up the engine and winding the window down to wave as he slowly drove past Louis’ home. “Bye!”

“Bye, love,” Harry called, and gave Louis a quick wink before he drove off. Louis didn’t go back inside until Harry was out of sight, and even then, he decided to clean up in the morning, leaving the glasses and empty bottle on the table as he went upstairs. He peeked into Millie’s room, pleased to see she was still sound asleep, and left a kiss on her forehead, tucking her covers up to her chin again.

He stripped off his clothes, leaving them in the linen bin while he walked to the bathroom in his boxers, having a wee and brushing his teeth. He ran his hand over the scruff on his face, pleased he’d chosen not to shave it off earlier. His cheeks were still slightly red thanks to the wine he and Harry had shared earlier, but it had felt nice to do that with another adult that had wanted to spend time with him. Talking to another man had been nice too, and Louis certainly didn’t mind the small bits of contact he and Harry had shared while sitting together.

He’d just gotten into bed, his sheets cool around his body when his phone pinged. He’d left it on charge while he’d got ready for bed, and he reached over, biting back a yawn as he squinted at the too bright screen. His heart almost skipped a beat when he saw Harry’s name on the screen, and his fingers fumbled to unlock the phone, bringing up the message.

**Harry:** I’m home now and heading to bed but I wanted to thank you again for a wonderful night. I loved getting to know you and Millie. Can’t wait for New Year’s and spending more time with you both. H x.

Louis smiled and tapped out a reply, not thinking too much about what he was writing as it appeared on the screen, wanting it to come from the heart.

**Louis:** You’re more than welcome, Harry. We had a fab time as well, and I know Millie will be so excited for NYE when I tell her tomorrow. See you then. Lou.

**Harry:** I’ve already got plans! Excited already. Night night, Lou xx

**Louis:** Night, Harry x

Louis fell asleep that night with his phone next to his head on his pillow, and the biggest smile on his face, all because of one man.

_ NEW YEARS EVE 2019: 6pm _

**Harry:** Don’t react to the clocks when you get to mine. I had an idea for Millie! Xxx

Louis felt a little puzzled when he read Harry’s message but went with it, sure that Harry must know what he was talking about. He pulled his seatbelt across his torso and fastened it, starting the engine of his car. He turned around, smiling at his daughter who was in the back seat, strapped into her car seat.

“Ready, munchkin?”

“Yes! Sleepover at Harry’s house! Do you think it’s gonna be a nice house?”

Louis felt like he was living Groundhog day over and over. Millie had almost passed out with excitement when Louis had revealed they’d be spending New Year’s Eve with Harry at his home, and she hadn’t stopped asking questions ever since. Of course, Louis couldn’t answer of them given he didn’t know Harry that well, and he’d never been to his house, but Millie, like all children, assumed her daddy had the answers to everything. Instead of answers, he’d just mysteriously repeated “wait and see” over and over until she was placated.

“I reckon so, love. Just… make sure you don’t break anything, okay? Or touch things that look like they cost lots of money. Best behaviour, alright?”

“Course Daddy, don’t want Harry to never ask me to come and play again!” Millie cried, swinging her legs back and forth. She’d chosen her outfit all by herself again and Louis hadn’t had the heart to get her to change. She was in her denim dungarees with a stripey black and white top underneath, her Kickers boots on her feet, the ribbon laces tied tightly by Louis. She looked quite quirky, but Louis appreciated her unique fashion sense. 

The drive to Harry’s place didn’t take long, and Louis was unsurprised to find the house was located behind a gate. He pressed the button to draw the window down and inputted the code Harry had texted him beforehand, the gates swinging open when he pressed the enter button. He drove slowly up the winding driveway, and he looked at Millie through the rearview mirror, finding her hands pressed up against her window, staring out in wonder. It was a completely different world for her, and Louis felt a little strange about her being exposed to this lifestyle at such a tender age.

He parked next to what he knew to be Harry’s car, and pulled the handbrake on before he got out of the car, walking around to open Millie’s door. He lifted her down and asked her to wait while he grabbed the bag of snacks he and Millie had shopped for earlier from the floor, Millie yanking her backpack out and shoving it onto one shoulder. They held hands as they walked up to the large wooden front door.

“Can I press the bell?”

Louis nodded and hoisted Millie up, her little legs hooking around his waist as she lunged forwards in her eagerness to press it. He could hear a dull ring in the background, and just a few seconds later, the door swung open, a beaming Harry on the other side.

“Hey! Welcome, come in, both of you,” Harry said with a smile, reaching and taking Millie out of Louis’ arms, much to his surprise. “Hey Millie, I’m so glad you wanted to come!”

Millie hugged tightly around his neck before she wriggled down to the floor, shrugging off her coat and handing it to Louis. He looked around for where to hang them, but Harry took them from him, brushing his fingers gently past Louis’ as he did so. “Go on through, I’ll pop these in the cloakroom.”

Louis tried to keep his face straight at that little bit of information, but held Millie’s hand tightly as he wandered in what he hoped was the direction of the living room. Millie was quiet too, somewhat unusual for her, but Louis knew she was taking everything in, getting used to her new surroundings.

“You like Harry’s house, love?”

“It’s so big! Bigger than my school!” Millie said, eyes open as she looked around in what could only be described as wonder. “Where’s Harry gone?”

“I’m here,” Harry said, walking into the room. “I can’t wait to show you what I’ve got!”

Millie ran over, stopping just in front of Harry and looking up at him. “Oh, please show me! Daddy says if I’m super good I can stay up ‘til midnight! How long is it?”

Harry glanced to the clock on the mantelpiece, and then looked to Louis, cocking an eyebrow at him. Louis realised what Harry had done, moving the clocks forward three hours or so, and muffled a laugh in his sleeve as Harry spoke to his daughter.

“About two and a half hours, so not long!”

“Yay!”

“And I’ve got so many things here for our party, come with me! Come on, Lou, you too!” 

The three of them traipsed through Harry’s huge sitting room, and Louis’ eyes fell on a pile of DVDs on a rather posh looking coffee table. There was a small pile of more grown up films, but the majority were Disney films he knew his daughter would love. Louis wondered if they were actually Harry’s DVDs or if he’d bought them especially for tonight. Louis wasn’t sure he minded which it was. They entered the big kitchen, and Louis just stared in shock at the amount of food Harry had prepared that was now set on platters on the kitchen table, covered in clingfilm.

“I made too much, I know, but just help yourselves. I did a bit of everything as I wasn’t sure what Millie liked-”

“SAUSAGE ROLLS!” she shrieked, jumping up and down in excitement as she saw her favourite party food of all time. “Can I have one, Harry?! Pretty please!”

“If it’s okay with your daddy,” Harry commented, and of course Louis had to nod, watching as Harry lifted Millie up so she could reach a paper plate, helping her select a few bits. Louis’ heart melted as he watched the taller man talk her into popping a few bits of veg on her plate as well, Millie listening as Harry mumbled quietly to her, words for just the two of them to hear. “Louis, can I get you anything?”

“You pick,” Louis said, leaning against the worktop and watching what was going on. Millie tapped on Harry’s hip to get his attention, asking politely if he could reach her a couple of the biscuits near the back, and he nodded. Instead of grabbing them for her, though, he pulled up the platter and bent down so Millie could take one, the little girl thanking him politely as she added one to her plate.

“Lou, if you go to the fridge, you can grab us some drinks. I got beers and wine for us, and there’s some nice fruit juice for Millie, or milk, or whatever she likes.”

“Apple juice?” she asked, looking hopefully up at Harry who nodded, ruffling her hair which was down tonight. “Yes, that’s my favourite!”

“Mine too!”

Louis pulled opened the left hand door of the huge American style fridge freezer, unsurprised to see it fully stocked. He grabbed a beer each for himself and Harry, and a bottle of fresh apple juice for Millie. There were some plastic beakers by the side of the fridge, so he used one for Millie, carrying all three things over as Harry led the way back to the sitting room. Millie settled on the carpet, Louis not willing to risk her spilling something on Harry’s undoubtedly expensive sofas, so Louis joined her, stealing a pringle from her selection, making her gasp and pinch a handful of wotsits back from his.

“Harry, you don’t have to sit on the floor-”

“Yes, I do, Lou, that’s the party rules, right? Oh, let me show you what else I got!”

Harry hopped to his feet and disappeared, returning seconds later with his arms full of goodness knows what. He let it all fall to the floor, and Millie didn’t hesitate to scramble nearer, eager to see what Harry had brought.

“I got some party poppers for the big midnight moment, and… some party hats because they looked really cool. I also liked these silly glasses, so I thought we could take some photos in them…”

Louis couldn’t believe the lengths Harry had gone to for a small party for three people. He’d obviously thought it through when it came to Millie, and he produced some nail transfers he promised to apply to Millie’s little nails in a while, as well as some colouring sheets, fancy colouring pencils Louis knew cost a lot more than Millie’s usual Crayola ones, and some crackers left over from Christmas.

“You’ve really gone all out,” Louis muttered as Millie turned back to her plate of food, gobbling it down. “Millie, slow down or you’ll be sick.”

“Sorry Daddy,” she said, popping a piece of cucumber into her mouth. “Harry, you can cook good.”

“Thanks, love,” Harry grinned, biting off a chunk of the carrot stick in his hand. “I just… I wanted it to be fun, Lou. And I ordered some DVDs, in case you wanted to have a movie, Millie? We can use my popcorn maker too if you like, and I’ve got these proper tubs to put it in too.”

“Yes, please! What films you gotted?”

Millie walked over and stunned Harry by plopping herself down right on Harry’s lap, but he didn’t seem to mind as he settled an arm around her waist, reaching for the DVDs with the other. He talked her through the selection, and they both came to the conclusion it had to be the original ‘Beauty and the Beast’ because ‘Daddy always says he's the beast and I’m the beauty!’.

“Daddy’s definitely not a beast,” Harry said softly, and Louis blushed, looking down to his plate. “I could do your nails while you watch, if you want?”

“We won’t miss midnight?” Millie asked, worrying her bottom lip between her little teeth, looking up at Harry from where she was still in his lap. “I don’t wanna miss it, tonight is the first one Daddy let me stay up for!”

“We won’t, I promise. I won’t let us,” Harry vowed, and Millie quickly hugged him again before she sprang up, running out of the room. “Where’s she gone?”

“Lord knows,” Louis mumbled through a mouthful of sandwich as Millie charged back in, her backpack in her hands. “What you doing, Mills?”

“Showing Hazzy the stuff I brought to his house!” Millie said, as if the answer was obvious. “I gotted some stuff from my house, Harry, wanna see?”

Harry nodded and Millie began to produce a ridiculous amount of things from the backpack, showing Harry each of them before she piled them up on the floor next to his leg. Louis chugged on his beer as he watched on in amusement, loving his avidly Harry was looking at his daughter. 

“And then I maked you this! Look!”

She tugged a crumpled piece of paper that looked like it had been torn from one of her notebooks, and spread it out on the floor in front of her before she handed it to Harry, suddenly looking shy.

“Oh wow, Millie…” 

“Do you like it?”

“I love it. Can I have a hug?”

Millie nodded and launched herself into Harry’s arms. He barely had time to whip the picture of the way, and Louis took it from him, staring down at the drawing he had no idea his daughter had created. It was clearly of the three of them, and Louis felt a little awkward at how Millie had drawn them like some sort of family. She was drawn between the two men, holding their hands, and they all had big smiles on their faces. She’d littered hearts around the outside, and written Harry’s name as neatly as she could at the top, the y going backwards which was just the cutest thing.

“Shall I put it on my fridge?”

“Yeah, okay! That’s where Daddy puts the pictures I make him at school.”

“Come on then. Let’s go and put it up now. Coming, Lou?”

Louis trailed after them, and heard Millie gasp before he walked into the room, leaning against the doorframe, staying out of the way of their moment.

“That’s my other picture that I gived you when you came for tea! You put it up!”

“Told you I would,” Harry replied, reaching down another magnet from the top of the door. “Where shall I put this one?”

Millie pointed and Harry lifted her up so she could fasten it into place. It looked nice, somehow, to see Millie’s artwork proudly on display in Harry’s house, like it, and like they belonged there. Harry talked to her about a few of the magnets stuck to his fridge before they walked back into the living room. Louis asked if he could get the film ready, and Harry nodded while he got everything ready to do Millie’s nails. Louis settled himself in perhaps the comfiest armchair he’d ever sat in while Harry and Millie sat opposite each other on the sofa, one of his daughter’s tiny hands in Harry’s larger ones.

They both sang along to the first few songs in the film, Louis glancing at the clock every now and then. By the end of the movie, Millie was definitely flagging, and Louis would deny tearing up until he was blue in the face until he spotted Harry dabbing away a few tears as well. Clearly they were both as emotional as each other.

Millie yawned loudly, snuggling into Harry’s side as Louis flicked through the television channels, trying to find something to watch. He settled on one of the music channels, hoping nothing too inappropriate would come up as Harry chatted softly to his daughter.

“Ten minutes to go,” he said quietly, and Harry nodded, pulling down a blanket from the back of the sofa to drape over Millie’s legs. “Mills, you want me to get your jammies?”

She stuck her thumb between her lips and nodded, so Louis got up, leaving to go to the hallway and fetched Millie’s things from the bag he’d packed. Harry scooped up the plates and cups while Louis made quick work of changing Millie into her pretty nightie.

“Can Hazzy do my hair again?” Millie whispered, and Louis just nodded, sure that Harry wouldn’t object at all. He was right, because a few minutes later, Millie was sat on the floor between Harry’s legs as he expertly wove her hair back into a fancy plait, fastening it with a little elastic that Louis passed over. “I’m tired, Daddy.”

“Five more minutes until midnight, you think you can make it?” 

She nodded, and when the clock finally showed there was one minute to go, Millie perked up slightly and grabbed some party hats, dishing them out as well as shoving a pair of glittery gold novelty glasses onto her face. Harry handed out the party poppers, telling Millie he’d help her let it off when it was time. Louis stood up, and despite the fact he knew it wasn’t really midnight, he felt butterflies in his tummy at the thought of seeing in the ‘new year’ with Harry.

“Shall we countdown?” Louis suggested, and he looked on as Millie nodded eagerly, pushing her too-big glasses up her nose. “10, 9,...”

Harry and Millie joined in, all of them counting together. Millie sped up a little in her excitement, but the minute they shouted zero, she screeched “HAPPY NEW YEAR DADDY AND HAZZY!” at the top of her lungs, her hat toppling off her head as she danced around, excited to part of the midnight fun. Louis thought Harry was quite possibly a genius for coming up with this plan.

“Hold it here, and then pull hard-”

Harry and Millie yanked on the string and a loud bang sounded as the popper released its streamers into the air. Millie screamed when the bang happened, but soon laughed her head off when some of the colourful pieces of paper landed in Harry’s hair whilst Louis’ floated to the floor.

“Can I do that again?! That was the coolest!”

Louis laughed and nodded and just sat and looked on as Harry and Millie popped another ten or so party poppers between them, the streamers all around the room now. It was a mess but Louis knew Harry didn’t mind. Harry still had a glittery pink hat propped up in his curls, along with the streamers he’d yet to remove, and it was a picture perfect moment.

“Stay there you two,” he said, grabbing his phone and standing up. He snapped a few photos of the pair posing, but was then unsurprised when Harry picked her up, holding her on his hip as they posed for more photos. Eventually, Louis stepped over and snapped a few photos of the three of them, before Harry handed over the now sleepy Millie to Louis, taking his phone and shooting a few photos of the pair of them. “You want to go to bed?”

“No,” Millie pouted, but Louis knew she wanted to say yes. “Harry take me, though. Want to see my room.”

“Not yours, love-”

“Of course, I can. Come on, Mills,” Harry said, easily taking the dead weight of Louis’ shattered daughter from him. Louis whispered he’d come and kiss her in a minute before she and Harry disappeared, heading upstairs. By the time Louis appeared, she was all but asleep, and he pressed a kiss to her head, pleased she seemed happy enough in a strange room. He plugged in the nightlight he’d brought with him before he and Harry left the room, leaving the door open enough that Millie wouldn’t be scared if she woke up in a new environment. “She’s so lovely, Louis.”

“Thank you. And thank you for giving her the midnight moment. I was worried that she was going to have a tantrum or something if she missed it, I was dreading it.”

“Ah, it’s fine. I just thought she’d like to see in the New Year with us.”

“You’ve gone to a lot of effort. I really appreciate it,” Louis said as Harry bent over in front of him, changing the DVD to something he and Louis had picked earlier on. Louis tried not to ogle Harry’s small but curvy bum but failed badly, only just looking away as Harry stood up, heading to sit next to Louis. “Want to share the blanket?”

Harry nodded and sat down next to him, their thighs completely touching as Louis arranged the blanket over their laps. The film started and the pair settled into silence before Harry hopped up again, dashing off and coming back with a plate for the two of them laden with feed, and another couple of beers in his hands. He handed one to Louis who took it wordlessly, resting it on his leg as they watched the movie.

It was a comedy, thankfully, and they both laughed like drains as the actors went through scene and scene, Harry almost crying at one point. By the end, Louis was somehow sat between Harry’s legs, his back against Harry’s broad chest like he belonged there. It was natural and easy between the pair of them, and a glance at the clock told him there was only twenty minutes or so until midnight.

The credits for the film ran while Louis and Harry just chatted with each other, Jools Holland eventually coming on when the player turned itself off. There was a myriad of musicians on there, and Louis listened attentively as Harry spoke about the ones he’d met, the conversations they’d had. Louis noted how he was so respectful about everyone he spoke of, and how passionately he spoke about music in general. It was clear to Louis that it wasn’t just Harry’s job, it was his passion and his life. 

“You really love what you do, don’t you?” Louis asked when there was a lull, Jools interviewing someone in the background now. “I can tell, and it’s so lovely to hear.”

“I do. I mean, sometimes it's hard when you’re on a tour that feels endless, and you’re away from home and your loved ones, but seeing how happy it makes the fans makes it all worth it. I love songwriting, putting out music… all of it.”

“I wish I had something I felt so passionately about,” Louis shrugged, his voice small as he confessed something he’d never put into words before. 

“You do,” Harry said, only sparing a look at the TV when Jools announced there was two minutes to go. “Maybe your career isn’t what you dreamed, but you’re passionate about your daughter, Louis. About being a great dad, raising a family. That’s something to be proud of.”

Louis sent Harry a shy smile, not having thought about it in that way before. Harry seemed to have this way with words which just hits Louis in the feels. Excitement sounded on the television as the people in the studio prepared to ring in the New Year. For some reason, Harry stood up and held out his hands, tugging Louis to his feet. Harry turned up the volume and reached down, situating a hat on Louis’ head before putting one on his own. 

“10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Happy New Year!” they both called, turning to grin at each other. Louis felt a swoop in his tummy as Harry’s green eyes met his own, the tension almost electric between them. The television continued to blare out as the studio celebrated the arrival of the New Year, but Louis wasn’t focusing on any of that right now.

His heart almost stopped as Harry took a step closer, his hand coming up to cup Louis’ cheek. Louis held his breath as finally, Harry closed the distance between them and pressed their lips together. Louis barely had time to let his eyes shut, relaxing into the kiss almost immediately. It felt… right, like he’d come home as Harry slipped his arms around Louis’ body, holding him close. Harry’s lips were warm and wet against his own, and Louis had a feeling Harry knew how to kiss, how to make him feel amazing with those lips.

Louis snaked his hand up from where it had found a place to rest on Harry’s hips, slipping around the back of Harry’s neck, caressing the soft skin there as their lips worked together. Harry kept it chaste, keeping his lips pressed together, making Louis want more, moaning slightly into it. They parted reluctantly to catch their breath, Harry smiled, his dimple popping in his cheek.

“You… you kissed me,” Louis marvelled, Harry’s hand still on his cheek, the pad of his thumb stroking back and forth over Louis’ stubbly jaw. 

“Was that okay?” 

“More than okay. I wouldn’t mind if you did it again, actually,” Louis murmured, finding a bit of confidence from somewhere. Harry didn’t hesitate to answer by way of kissing Louis again, and this time Louis parted his lips, his tongue gently encouraging Harry’s into his own mouth. It was deep and passionate, and Harry groaned when Louis twisted his fingers in his hair, tilting his head slightly. 

Louis lost himself in the kiss far too quickly, forgetting about his sleeping daughter on the floor above as Harry’s hands roamed around his waist, sliding up under the hem of his t-shirt, resting on his bare skin. Louis shivered at the touch, mainly due to the fact he hadn’t been kissed or touched by another man in too long, but the fact it was  _ Harry _ touching and kissing him made it even better in his eyes.

They only stopped kissing when Harry stumbled slightly, jarring them apart, and Louis giggled, wiping off his mouth with the back of his hand, all the while looking longingly at Harry. They were both red cheeked, their lips slightly swollen from the kissing, but Louis wanted more. He knew, though, that now wasn’t the time. If this was going to be something, he wanted to take it slowly, to treasure every second he got to spend with Harry, and their fledgling… whatever this was.

“Are you staying over?” Harry whispered, and Louis felt a little taken aback, thinking that definitely wasn’t the ‘taking it slow’ he had just thought about. “No- NO! No, Louis, I wouldn’t- No. I wouldn’t expect that…”

“It’s okay,” Louis began, but Harry was looking upset now, and he didn’t like that at all.

“Louis, I don’t think of you like that. I mean, I do, you’re gorgeous and I have eyes, but… I respect you. I would never take advantage, or expect anything from you. Please believe me, I-”

Louis shut him up with a quick kiss, just a brief touch of their lips but it sent another spark of electricity whizzing down Louis’ spine.

“I know what you meant. With Millie, right? In the guest room?” Harry nodded at that, and Louis smiled gently, tangling their fingers together. “I would like to, yeah. Drank a bit much to drive home, and Mills is a nightmare if I have to wake her up mid-sleep.”

“Good. I mean- I’m glad you’re staying. I’ve had a really lovely night.”

“Me too. Do I get a goodnight kiss?” Louis chanced, not really wanting to kiss upstairs where Millie could stumble upon them in a second. Harry nodded and brought them back together, kissing Louis softly and tenderly, his fingers pressing into Louis’ hip. “Mmm. Happy New Year, Harry.”

“Happy New Year, Lou,” Harry mumbled back against Louis’ lips, kissing him again a few times in quick succession. “Upstairs?”

They held hands as they walked upstairs, Harry carrying Louis’ bag like a gentleman, hovering outside the room where they could both see Millie sleeping soundly, the covers kicked off, baring her nightie clad body. Louis laughed at how it had rolled up enough to show off her knickers, but it was Harry who tugged it down, covering her again with the duvet before he kissed her forehead, a touching gesture that warmed Louis’ heart.

“Thank you, Harry. Goodnight.”

“Night, Lou.” Harry blew Louis a kiss before he walked out the room, pulling the door to behind him, leaving Louis alone with his sleeping daughter. He found the small ensuite bathroom and took a swig of the mouthwash on the side in lieu of having a toothbrush, and pulled on his baggy old t-shirt he’d brought to sleep in just in case he’d ended up crashing at Harry’s. He kissed his daughter and whispered Happy New Year before he slipped into bed next to her, quickly falling into a deep and happy sleep.

****

Louis woke the next morning when the sunlight streamed in through a crack in the curtains, landing directly on his face. He squinted and rolled away from it, mushing his face into the pillow as he tried to snuggle down to fall back asleep. He reached out an arm for his daughter, ready to draw her back into a cuddle but his eyes flew open when he realised Millie wasn’t there. The sheets were cool meaning Millie had been gone a while, and Louis all but launched himself out of bed, stumbling towards the door.

He hurried to the stairs, not thinking about his state of undress as he blearily stumbled through Harry’s home, stopping still as he rushed into the kitchen, his heart melting at the sight he saw. Millie was stood on one of Harry’s kitchen chairs by his side, still in her nightie, her hair in her scruffy plait as Harry’s hand guided her to stir whatever it was they were making. 

“That’s it… well done, Mills, keep going…”

Harry stood away from her for a second, turning to grab something when he saw Louis, his eyes flitting up and down Louis’ body for a second before he smiled shyly at him.

“Morning, Lou.”

“DADDY! Hi, Daddy! Me and Hazzy are making pancakes and bacon and eggies, you want some?”

“Please, pumpkin,” Louis said, walking over and kissing her cheek. Harry hovered nearby, as if unsure what to do. Louis knew he didn’t want to kiss the man in front of his daughter, but he was sure a hug wouldn’t go amiss. He wrapped his arms around Harry’s t-shirt clad body, resting his head on Harry’s chest for too brief of a moment, loving Harry’s morning smell before he pulled away, looking up at him. “Morning, Harry.”

“Breakfast?” was all Harry could think to say, holding up the packet of bacon he was clutching.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll just go and… get decent,” Louis said, trying to tug down his t-shirt and preserve his modesty as he dashed back upstairs, yanking on the baggy shorts he’d shoved in the bottom of his bag. By the time he returned, Millie was sat at the table, a plate of eggs and bacon in front of her while Harry flipped the pancakes. It was a ridiculously domestic scene, and Louis bloody loved everything about it.

They all sat together as they ate, listening to Millie waffle on about how grown up she was that she got to see in the New Year, begging Louis to buy more party poppers for her birthday, even though Louis was sure she’d have long forgotten about them by then. Soon enough, there were three clean plates, and Louis insisted on helping Harry washing up the pans while Millie stuck on another of Harry’s dvds, curled up on his sofa, looking more than at home.

“Is she alright in there?” Harry asked in concern while Louis finished drying the dish in his hands. “I don’t want her to feel alone-”

“Haz, she’s fine. Besides. Her being in there, means I can do this-”

Right there, in the middle of Harry’s kitchen, the other man’s hands covered in suds, Louis kissed him. It was quite brief, nothing too much given the presence of a four year old in the next room, but to Louis, it was more than enough. When he pulled away, Harry chased after his lips and pulled them together again, both taking what they needed from the kiss, from each other.

Louis was panting by the time they finished, his hair damp where Harry hadn’t stopped himself running his wet fingers through Louis’ hair, keeping their lips together. He chuckled softly as he let his forehead rest against Harry’s chest, feeling the other man’s heartbeat was almost as quick as his own.

“You know that this… whatever  _ this _ is,” Louis began, indiciating between them for a moment. “This involves Millie too. Wherever I go, she goes. We’re kind of a team.”

“I know that,” Harry mumbled, gently swaying the pair of them from side to side. “And I like that. A lot, actually. I kind of, really, like… adore the pair of you. You and Millie. I adore you both. And I want you to let me do that.”

“Adore us?” Louis asked, peering earnestly up at Harry.

“Adore you. Both of you. Just let me adore you, Louis. Let me take care of you.”

Louis pretended to think on it for a second before he grinned, grabbing Harry’s cheeks in his hands and crashing their lips together.

“Yes. Definitely yes.”

“So you’ll let me take you on a third date? Maybe your Mum could have Millie so I could wine and dine you?”

“Third date?” Louis frowned, confused. “But we haven’t-”

Harry laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. “We have, Louis. The dinner at yours, that was our first date. And last night was our second.”

“We- what?! That doesn’t even make any sense! I will go on a  _ first  _ date with you-”

“Third.”

“First. End of.”

“Ah, whatever you want to believe Lou. But we’ve definitely been dating,” Harry smirked. “But you’ll go out with me? Again?”

“I will,” Louis smiled, his heart feeling full. “I really- I like you, Harry. But I love that you like my daughter, and spending time with her.”

“She’s a wonderful girl,Louis. How could I not like her? She’s part of you, after all.”

Louis hugged Harry again then, the pair only separating when they heard little footsteps approaching, Millie looking expectantly at them.

“Daddy, if you needed cuddles, you only had to ask me! I always got cuddles for you!” 

“I know, munchkin,” Louis grinned, scooping her up in his arms and tickling her gently, making her giggle. “But is it okay if I get hugs from Harry sometimes too?”

Millie thought on it for a moment before she answered, twirling her fingers in Louis’ hair, making a face when she realised it was wet.

“Yep. S’okay as long as I get cuddles from you and from Harry!”

“Anytime you want, love,” Harry said, wrapping his arms around the two new people in his life. “I’m always going to have cuddles to spare for you two.”

  
  


**_December 23rd 2020_ **

“Millie, we’ve already got crisps, love,” Harry called out, shaking his head as Millie pouted at him from where she was stood clutching a family size bag of Doritos. He’d been around long enough now, though, that he knew not to fall for it as often as he used to. “Come on, we’ve still go to get to the shopping centre before Daddy gets home so we need to get a move on!”

“‘Kay, Papa!” she called, running back over to him and holding on to the edge of the trolley as she knew to do whenever they went shopping. “We got so much food!”

“Well, we’ve got a lot of people coming for dinner, love. Daddy’s got lots of lovely people in his family, hasn’t he?”

“Yup. And your mummy is coming?”

“She is,” Harry nodded proudly, glad that his and Louis’ families had gelled so well. They’d met fairly early on, when both Anne and Jay had come to Louis’ house to look after Millie on Valentine’s Day when Harry had whisked Louis off for a romantic weekend. The two women had got on like a house on fire, and a lifelong friendship had been born ever since. “And Gemma and Robin too.”

“Yes! Maybe Auntie Gemma will do my hair all pretty?”

“I bet she will,” Harry said, concentrating on unloading the trolley. Millie helped a little, throwing things onto the belt while Harry hurried to do the more breakable things before she could get her hands on them. His engagement ring clinked against the bottle of wine he picked up, and he bit back a smile that looking at the ring always caused, butterflies still wild in his tummy as he recalled the moment Louis had proposed to him just a few weeks ago when Harry had taken them both to London when he’d had a meeting with his record label. They’d gone around the city like tourists, and when they were in a pod on the London Eye, Louis had shocked Harry by dropping to one knee, asking him to marry him. Harry had cried and accepted, while Millie practically exploded in excitement, somehow having kept Louis’ secret all day long.

Wedding plans were in full swing, and although some of the press had labelled their relationship a ‘whirlwind romance’, Harry was confidence in what he knew. He knew he loved Louis, and Millie, and that they loved him equally as fiercely in return. They’d moved in together in the summer, Louis and Millie moving into Harry’s bigger house, painting up one of the guest rooms to become Millie’s, the wooden letters from her old bedroom door coming with her, much to her delight.

Now, Harry truly felt like he had a home, both in the sense of the building in which he lived with his fiance and daughter, but in those people themselves as well. Thanks to Anne and Robin offering to take on a lot of childcare with Millie when Harry was working and unable to be at home with their daughter, Louis had been able to take on more day shifts at the hotel, which meant they had family time together in the evenings. Everything was just falling into place for the three of them and Harry couldn’t quite believe how lucky he was.

After he and Millie had bagged up and paid for the food for Louis’ birthday party the next day, they crossed the car park, Millie chattering away as always. Harry was always amazed that the now five year old girl never seemed to run out of things to say, but he loved how she talked so openly about everything in her life. She was a ray of sunshine, and Harry adored her, loved her to bits like she was his own. He and Louis had discussed Harry adopting her and making her legally his when they were married, and already, Harry couldn’t wait. Not that it stopped him referring to Millie as his daughter to anyone who would listen, of course. He buckled Millie into her seat in the back of his car and drove off for the final stop of the day, determined to get home before Louis finished his shift.

They got the ticket for the car park and Millie held Harry’s hand as they walked into the shopping centre where they’d met the year before. It was only a year ago, yet in some ways, it felt like both a lifetime and a second ago. Harry was sure fate had brought Millie to him that day, and all he knew about that day was that he didn’t regret a thing. He smiled at a woman who clearly recognised him, hoping she didn’t approach given he was with Millie, and sighed in relief as she walked past.

“So, Mills,” Harry began, slowing his pace a little so Millie could hear him chatter amongst the din of the public around them. “Any ideas what we can get Daddy for his birthday?”

“Well,” Millie started, looking at the shops all around them. “Um… Ooh! What about… no, we gots a nice house now. Uh… a CAR! I think he’d like a new car, a shiny black one!”

Harry laughed at that suggestion, unsurprised given this was the little girl who wanted to buy her daddy an Apple watch last year because she thought he deserved the world.

“Millie, Daddy nearly killed me last year for buying him an Apple watch, I reckon he’d cancel the wedding if I brought him home a new car, don’t you think?!”

Millie looked up at Harry in horror at that and shook her head frantically, the bobble on her hat batting from side to side on top of her head. 

“No! No, he can’t do that! I choosed my pretty dress already, and my shoes…”

She looked devastated, and Harry quickly put her mind at ease, pulling her to where he sat on a bench, his daughter stood between his legs.

“Ah, he wouldn’t really, love. But I really don’t think a car is the best thing we could get him. What about…” Harry thought on it for a second. “What about a holiday for the three of us? Then we can tell him it’s a present for our family, not just him.”

“Yes! Then he can’t get mad and cancel the wedding!” Millie cheered, hugging Harry tightly for a second. “Disney! I wanna go Disneyworld!”

“We’ll see, my love,” Harry grinned, getting to his feet and letting Millie lead the way. “Wait and see.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.x


End file.
